Taif Season

Taif Season is a tourism and entertainment event held in Taif city under the name “the Summer Resort of the Arabs”; it was held for the first time within the Saudi Seasons 2019 initiative, and its activities launched on 29 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1440 AH, corresponding to 1 August 2019.[1][5]

The season is one of 11 seasons launched under the Saudi Seasons 2019 initiative, and it highlights Taif as one of the most important tourism and entertainment destinations in the Kingdom.[5]

The activities of Taif Season “the Summer Resort of the Arabs” launched in its first edition on 29 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1440 AH, corresponding to 1 August 2019, and continued for a full month.[1]

The season witnessed more than 70 main activities over 31 days, distributed across the four main areas designated to host them.[1]

The “Arab Quarter” is an activity devoted to the participation of 11 Arab countries, foremost among them the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, alongside the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Morocco and Tunisia.[1]

The season's activities were centred on more than four main venues: Souq Okaz, the Crown Prince Camel Festival, Ward Village and Sadat Al-Bid.[2]

The season's components included the literary, cultural and artistic activities of Souq Okaz and the Poet of Okaz competition for classical Arabic poetry, alongside mountain climbing (hiking), the Rose and Fruits Festival, the Art Street and a group of theatrical performances.[4]

Taif Season was held within the Saudi Seasons 2019 initiative, which the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage launched in its trial edition, comprising 11 tourism seasons covering most regions of the Kingdom, in a step that was the first of its kind at the regional level.[3]

The initiative came under the leadership of a supreme committee chaired by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and it includes the Ministry of Culture, the General Entertainment Authority, the General Sports Authority and the General Authority for Exhibitions and Conferences.[3]

Saudi Seasons announced its intention to launch Taif Season and Al-Sawda Season in the Asir Region simultaneously during August 2019, and this was announced on 1 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1440 AH, corresponding to 4 July 2019.[4]

Taif is home to more than 2,200 rose farms producing more than 550 million roses annually, and the Taif rose harvest season began on 22 Jumada al-Ula 1437 AH, corresponding to 2 March 2016.[9]

The Taif Rose Festival was held over an area of 560,000 square metres, and it included a carpet that held 800,000 roses and flowers of various kinds and a beauty basket containing 190,000 roses, while the products extracted from the rose reach 85 products.[8]

The number of visitors to the Taif Rose Season in the first week reached one million visitors, setting record numbers in its visitor counts.[8]

Taif Season provided a fleet of shuttle buses that carry visitors free of charge from the centre of Taif city, specifically from “Jouri Mall”, to the main activity areas; the fleet comprises 32 buses: 16 buses daily to Souq Okaz, 10 buses to Ward Village in Al-Rudaf Park, and 6 buses to King Faisal Park.[2]

The capacity for car rental was raised to more than 3,700 cars during the days of the season, with more than 350 trained drivers available.[2]

Taif Season “the Summer Resort of the Arabs” announced the launch of the “Outstanding Media Performance Award” in 5 diverse categories with financial prizes, on 2 Dhu al-Hijjah 1440 AH, corresponding to 3 August 2019.[6]

The award aims to encourage tourism journalism and to support excellence and innovation in media interaction.[6]

The mayor of Taif Governorate honoured 168 of the municipality's staff who took part in preparing and readying the works of Taif Season 2019.[7]

The season included establishing a rose garden in Al-Rudaf Park, the activities of the Crown Prince Camel Festival in King Faisal Model Park, and preparing the sites around the camel field in “Hadan”, in addition to supporting the activities of Souq Okaz.[7]

A royal order was issued forming the board of directors of the Taif Governorate Development Authority, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Minister of Culture, based on the royal order providing for the establishment of an authority for the development of Taif Governorate, on 11 Shawwal 1443 AH, corresponding to 12 May 2022.[10]

Q: When did Taif Season launch in its first edition? A: Its activities launched on 29 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1440 AH, corresponding to 1 August 2019, and continued for a full month, and it witnessed more than 70 main activities.[1]

Q: Where were Taif Season's activities held? A: In more than four main venues: Souq Okaz, the Crown Prince Camel Festival, Ward Village and Sadat Al-Bid.[2]

Q: How many Arab countries took part in the “Arab Quarter”? A: 11 Arab countries, foremost among them the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, alongside the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Morocco and Tunisia.[1]

Q: What are the most prominent transport services of the season? A: A fleet of 32 free shuttle buses from “Jouri Mall” to the activity sites, and raising the capacity for car rental to more than 3,700 cars with more than 350 trained drivers.[2]

Q: What are the most prominent features of the Taif rose associated with the season? A: The Taif Rose Festival, held over an area of 560,000 square metres, and Taif's production of more than 550 million roses annually from more than 2,200 farms.[8][9]

Taif Season brought together the summer resort, heritage and the cultural and entertainment activities in Taif city, within the Saudi Seasons 2019 initiative.[1][3] Related topics on the platform include Souq Okaz and Riyadh Season.