Makkah Hotel Prices Drop In Ramadan’s Final Days As Pilgrim Arrivals Witness A Decline

The final ten days of Ramadan tend to make Makkah one of the most trafficked religious places on the planet. Hotels sell out months ahead while prices surge. The rooms will be almost unavailable around the Masjid al-Haram. Lately, due to regional conflicts, international pilgrim travel has been slowed down, along with flight disruptions in the Middle East. Consequently, the hotel market in Makkah has weakened at a time when crowds should be at their highest. The shift has compelled certain hotels to reduce prices and accept last-minute bookings.

Makkah Hotel Rates Witness A Downfall As Pilgrim Travel Decelerates

Reduced international pilgrims’ shift travel patterns during Ramadan. The flights between various routes within the Middle East have been cancelled or diverted, and travelling to Saudi Arabia is becoming cumbersome for many pilgrims.

Even some travellers have been advised by authorities in Indonesia to postpone pilgrimage plans due to the uncertainty of flights. In the meantime, Malaysia has reported an estimated 1,600 pilgrims who had been caught up in Saudi Arabia when their return flights were cancelled by the airlines, as mentioned by a report of Arab News.

When there is a decline in the number of international visitors, the hotel demand is expected to drop. Hotels which would usually be sold out months earlier now have empty rooms.

Surprise Promotions Along The Grand Mosque

The situation has presented an unexpected advantage to the Saudi citizens, the residents and the travellers who are already in the region. Since rooms will be located close to the Grand Mosque, which is also the most expensive to rent in the city, it will become easier to secure.

Hotels which used to demand early booking now accept bookings on a last-minute basis. According to travel site Wego, even now, the average daily charges in the hotels around the Haram can go up to approximately 400 AED (SR1,500) based on the closeness to the mosque. However, there are also those who have slashed prices to occupy vacant rooms.

To most of the locals, it implies the opportunity to spend the last days of Ramadan nights with the most sacred in Islam.

Also Read: From UAE Food Price Update To Makkah Transport Surge, 5 GCC Updates Today

Domestic Travellers Assist In Stabilising The Demand

The hospitality industry has not come to a halt, though the number of international arrivals has declined. Gulf country pilgrims continue to visit Makkah commonly on one or two-day visits. They tend to stay in hotels which are directly adjacent to the mosque. Other visitors, particularly those who came from countries like Turkey and Uzbekistan, were more likely to hang in. Their long stay makes mid-range hotels have consistency in occupancy. At the same time, the flights to King Abdulaziz International Airport, the major entry point of pilgrims visiting Makkah, are running as usual and with full capacity.
The outcome is an ambivalent situation: the total number of international pilgrims has decreased, but there is a sufficient number of domestic and regional visitors to make the city lively on the most spiritual nights of Ramadan.

Cover Image Courtesy: CanvaPro/Mike Jones from Mike Jones