Recreational Activity: A New Pattern In The Geography Of Makkah - Al-Hussainiya Suburb

Abstract

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is witnessing transformations in economic life, to diversify its economic activities and not rely solely on petroleum activities. A new pattern of economic activities appeared, which is recreational activity, affecting the change in land use, especially on the city margins. In recent years, the city of Makkah has witnessed urban transformations that resulted in economic, service, and social changes. Population evacuation operations from the city center area in turn resulted from such transformations, which were matched by intensification in marginal areas, the most important of which is Al- Hussainiya suburb, which witnessed an increasing trend in recreational activities, the most significant of which is the increase in the number of cafes, football fields, and rest houses. The study concluded that the comprehensive survey has become one of the necessities for detailed studies of developments in land use as well as satellite imagery. Also, the geographical location of the suburb outside the borders of the Haram boundaries (Sacred boundaries of the Grand Mosque in Makkah) has provided potentials that have been exploited in the form of concentration of recreational activities, which helps to settle this kind of activities in the suburb by providing administrative regulations from the concerned authorities and establishing some recreation-related facilities.