This post is the recap of meetup which was organized by me in the Al-Nakheel Mall in Dammam. The mall is newly constructed and was very luxurious with amazing amenities. Since no one showed up for the meetup I explored the new mall alone. As the mall was newly constructed it was filled with many renowned national and international clothing brands shops and food restaurants. The first floor was entirely dedicated for the food court offering a variety of cuisines and play area for kids and adults. People in Saudi Arabia likes exploring huge malls as they can enjoy a lengthy walk. I visited many stores and took photographs of them (especially of their shop fronts) using my Huawei camera which had a wide angle lens allowing me to see more details. Additionally, other information such as phone numbers, store hours, business websites (if available), wheelchair accessibility information was also updated on Google Maps when clicking on each business listed on Google Maps search results page.
It was fun visiting the new mall, Since I visited so many stores and did some shopping. It took me more than an hour to explore the mall and update the businesses information on the Google maps. I concluded the meetup by having a meal at the food court. I ate the traditional Yemeni food which was Shaksouka with malwach bread and ful medames.
29 Likes
Wow! I visited the mall yesterday and I have been thinking if I should create a post to share; ‘how prepared may of the stores are for the Christmas celebrations or not’ and this your post is giving me a nod in the positive direction.
Please add photos I can barely make out anything from the collage
Also, what I have learnt from organizing physical meetups is;
- It pays to have a one-to-one conversation with people; Local Guides in your area. Don’t just drop the Invite amd expect people to troop to join you.
- First, check if there are Local Guides in your area
- Second, contact them
- Third, share details with them
- The more they feel involved in the planning, the more likely they are to show up
- Sometimes, I go the extra mile of creating T-shirts and have our Local Guides send the money to the person making the T-shirts for us, most people want to turn up because of the financial commitment they have made.
- I will go ahead and share details including pictures of the food I have made and paid for to be shared, etc…
I go on photowalks, but, I have never intended having a meetup that noone joined. Please don’t be disheartened because some times you make all these plans and still noone comes.
When I turn on my computer, I will share with you my most favorite photo from yesterday but this is the only thing I have added yet; Mango’s
P.s. - I want you to know you are an amazing Local Guide. Thanks for continuously putting Saudi Arabia 
on the Map, you deserve to be recognized in a special way, I will sure put in a nomination for you…
Tale care @fasi6083
4 Likes
Thanks for the feedback and appreciate your kind words @Ewaade_3A . Can you please share your way of approaching local guides from the neighborhood for meetups and other activities. I would like to invite more local guides to participate in the meetups in my area, but don’t know how to do it effectively. One more issue which I find with the local guides in my region is that most of them are native Arabic speakers and speaks and understand mostly Arabic language. Since there are language barriers, I’m not sure how to approach the local guides from the neighborhood but if you have any ideas, please let me know!
Because of the photos upload limit on the Connect platform I prepared a collage of the photographs clicked during the meetup. The few photos which I took in the meetup can be accessed on this google drive link.
4 Likes
Q. Can you please share your way of approaching local guides from the neighborhood for meetups and other activities?
- use the ‘search bar’ on Connect and type in Saudi Arabia, there you will find some posts from that location
- If you have turned on following on Maps, when you add new places to Maps, you see who to follow, that way you can see those in your area and follow them, naturally, you will get their updates, you could check for them on the forum and ask them about organizing the meetup
- Try to find out if there is a Telegram or whatsapp group for Saudi Local Guides or you could start one and recruit others to join you
Any of these can walk, as long as you are courteous which I trust you to be…
most of them are native Arabic speakers and speaks and understand mostly Arabic language. Since there are language barriers
Your love and passion for Maps bind you, there is a translator that works well on Maps, when you meet in person, you can also use the Translator in communicating. The Translator has a voice input option and the translation from English to Arabic is fairly good.
Because of the photos upload limit on the Connect platform
not only the photo limit vut the quality limit, we have been able to scale that hurdle a long time ago, by adding photos using a link, let me share with you the post @plavarda made for me to teach me, here Is another one by @TravellerG
Thanks for your warm response, more for understanding me. I appreciate 
@fasi6083
Please let me know if there are any other issues
4 Likes
Thanks for referring my post in your response, dear @Ewaade_3A
Surely fellow LG @fasi6083 can contact me, if he needs any further information or help.
Regards
3 Likes
Hello sir, I just found you one Local Guide in Saudi @Saqis9966
He is a very reliable, gentle man. I told him about this and he said he will be willing to meet. He is also not a native, so, there will be no language barrier sir @fasi6083
1 Like
Hi @fasi6083
Nice Recap, although None come!
Me too, when I hosted my first meetup, only me and my son, none come, but after awhile I found Jakarta Local Guides, and I became friends with them, soon, when I held another meet up, they just show up!
I met them through this forum. Btw, you can look and read post from your area, so you can contact them in here.
anyway, you took nice photos and also had full lunch. Congratulations on your meetup!
1 Like
Thanks for the help @Ewaade_3A I just looked at the profile of the user you mentioned in your comment, and it appears he is from a different region of Saudi Arabia. Anyway, with Google Maps’ new feature that shows local guides from specific regions, I’m hoping to meet more local guides from my neighborhood at upcoming meetups. Thank you for sharing the steps you generally take to hold the meetups.
Thank you so much for your supportive comments @Ddimitra . I go to the meetups with my family as well. I searched the connect forum but hardly ever saw local guides from my neighborhood posting here, despite the fact that most are active on Google maps. I expect to see more local guides participating in the Connect forum in the near future, sharing their experiences with local traditions, food cuisine, adventures, and so on.
2 Likes
