The Crowne Plaza Jeddah hotel is offering a half price holiday to the Saudi Arabian city during the Jeddah 2002 Festival.

"This year our summer package is being planned with particular emphasis on the 'Jeddah 2002' Festival which will run from June 1 until the end of July," said sales and marketing director Ashraf Refaat.

He said the hotel would offer a 50 per cent discount on rack rates for its single and double rooms, building on the success of last year's Jeddah Festival.

"We hope that this festival will provide the hotel industry in Jeddah and leisure attractions in general with the required boost and cater to the needs of the discerning summer travellers," said Refaat.

He said the hotel had maintained a healthy occupancy level this year, staying ahead of the figures recorded last year.

Refaat said the hotel which attracted a good mix of business and leisure travellers remained optimistic over the long-term future of tourism in the kingdom.

But he added the kingdom's efforts to attract international visitors and bolster tourism were hampered by the ongoing Middle East crisis.

The Crowne Plaza Jeddah recently introduced Crowne Plaza Club rooms offering business travellers wide ranging conveniences including a Club Lounge to facilitate their stay at the hotel.

"An effort to blend our first-class comfort and unsurpassed service with the essentials of an office to ensure that the business traveller is connected and informed any time of the day," said Refaat.

The hotel has recently launched a new 'Le Petit Cafe' in the lobby and plans to revive "Sakura" Japanese restaurant with new menus and take-away service - "concepts that will provide an impetus to our Japanese clientele", said Refaat.