Fakieh Aquarium to open tomorrow

The long-awaited opening of the first of its kind aquarium in the Kingdom, the Fakieh Aquarium, will be tomorrow.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal will inaugurate the aquarium located in Jeddah Corniche in a ceremony that will be attended by officials in charge of developing the Saudi seafronts and national tourism. The aquarium was executed by Fakieh Group and contains more than 7,000 marine animals of 200 species in 155 tanks. It has a sharks section, a dolphin pool, large enough to accommodate 400 visitors, sea lion and reef tanks, mangroves and interactive halls, in addition to laboratories and quarantines.
“Prince Khaled’s care for the development of tourism is not new as he has always lent his support to all tourist activities and destinations,” said Muhammad Al-Amri, director of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) branch in Makkah. The Jeddah seafront and its eastern side will witness a radical improvement during the next four years, he said, adding that the completion of the ongoing bridge, tunnel and road projects that are aimed at easing traffic in the city will have a positive effect on the flow of visitors.
Prince Khaled is determined to develop seafronts along the Red Sea coast starting with Jeddah and including Leeth and Qunfodha. He had the Emir’s Office, the Jeddah Mayor’s Office, the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and the SCTA work together in terms of supporting tourist activities.
The aquarium seeks to promotes the conservation of the environment by spreading awareness through education and entertainment.
Most of the species within the Fakieh Aquarium can also be found in the Red Sea, which gives the visitors a glimpse of the beauty that the Red Sea beholds.