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Hotel rates in central Makkah rose 20% y-o-y in the first week of Ramadan, Deputy of the Tourism and Hotel Committee at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce Abdul Mohsen Al-Ajlan told Aleqtisadiah Last Friday. The prices reflect a substantial rise in demand for hotel stays leading up to and during the holy month.
The highest occupancy rate in 15 years: Hotels in Central Makkah maintained 100% occupancy rate in the past 18 months, said Al-Ajlan, adding that the surge in demand is extraordinary considering that the typical occupancy rates between 10 and 20 Ramadan is 70%, reaching to 100% in the last 10 days of Ramadan. “This year is exceptional, as many hotels have obtained licenses after working to rectify their status and operate according to the required regulations.”
Gov’t initiatives boosting demand: Investors in the central area credit the rise in prices to government initiatives like the Pilgrims Experience Program (PEP), which facilitates year-round Umrah, with perks such as quick e-visa issuance for 57 countries. Similarly, the Nusuk platform offers digital solutions that streamline travel for pilgrims.
Bookings were marked by a rise in foreign individual bookings, which now exceed those made by corporates.
AND- High demand from countries that typically haven’t shown much interest before, thanks to relaxed visa programs that have fueled a surge in individual bookings from East Asia countries, the EU, Canada, America, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey, among others.
