MAKKAH: Eid Al-Fitr is a time to celebrate joyous new beginnings and share precious moments with family and friends, after spending a month of worship and rituals.
Many hotels are gearing up to offer accommodation packages at properties across Makkah to provide the perfect way to embrace this blessed tradition and celebrate an unforgettable Eid with loved ones.
Saad Al-Qurashi, a member of the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, said that hotels this year promised to make the holy month even more enjoyable for pilgrims to add to their memories.
He said that those pilgrims in Makkah in Eid Al-Fitr would have the opportunity to mix the spiritual experience with joy.
He said: “Pilgrims flock to Makkah wearing their unique traditional clothes of different colors and beautiful designs, forming an integrated fabric of Islamic culture as if a miniature world had gathered in Makkah.
“People set the finest examples of solidarity and love, keenly visiting each other in hotels. These are divine gifts after a full month of prayers and fasting.”
Some of these hotels have made the effort to decorate their lobbies to add to the festival feel and allow pilgrims to celebrate an unforgettable Eid with loved ones.
These hotels are mainly located in the central area, around the Grand Mosque, and parts of Misfalah, Ajyad, and the tunnels of Mahbas Al-Jin and Aziziyah.
Al-Qurashi added: “Aziziyah is the preferred destination for GCC and Turkish pilgrims, who are keen to shop in Makkah's malls as they are home to a wide range of international brands.”
Shops in Makkah are witnessing a resurgence in interest and trade following the downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some shops have witnessed exceptional numbers of visitors this year, with many opening their doors until the late hours of the night to satisfy the demands of pilgrims in Makkah.
Fadel Manqal, who manages a hotel in the central area, said that everyone is working day and night to serve pilgrims and provide them with all that is necessary for an enjoyable stay.
Staff endeavor to speak to visitors in their native language if possible, to make the experience even more enjoyable for guests.
Manqal said: “Each nationality has its own vision in terms of clothes and some of them strive to buy them from Makkah, a memory that remains with them for a lifetime.
“They seek to wear those clothes and visit our cultural sites, making memories engraved in their eternal book of life.”
He added that Makkah is home to some 1,400 hotels, which help to enhance the hospitality experience for visitors who come from all continents with different cultures, education, and lifestyles.
The employees of the hotels are aware of the diversity of their guests and strive to meet all the requirements of the visitors.
He said that the quality of services must reflect the sophistication and openness that Saudi Arabia is now experiencing.
Hotels must actively participate in organizing and preparing inspiring experiences to ensure guests enjoy a memorable Eid, especially if they are spending the time away from their families and relatives.
He added: “We all aim to leave a distinctive imprint and enrich the cultural experience to allow pilgrims of all nationalities to feel the joy of Eid.”
