Makkah hotel occupancy up

The hotel occupancy rate in Makkah increased by up to 30 percent due to a lower supply and higher demand, said a Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry official.
Hisham Afifi, member of the Tourism and Hotels Committee, said the ongoing demolition works in the city has put many lodgings near the Grand Mosque’s Central Zone out of business. The number of visitors and pilgrims to Makkah has increased as the Umrah season and a school holiday coincided. This contributed to an increased occupancy rate, especially in hotels near the Grand Mosque.
“Many hotels started renovation and restoration works after the last Haj in preparation for this period and the following holidays, Ramadan and Haj seasons,” Afifi said. “Some establishments completed their maintenance work before the start of the Umrah season, but others missed out.”
Afifi agreed that prices had gone up at the remaining hotels near the Grand Mosque after many had been demolished. The large number of pilgrims and visitors tempted some hotels to raise the reasonable prices the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities had set, he said.