Okaz/Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — Hotels in the central region of Makkah have recorded the highest occupancy rates during this Ramadan. Reservation of hotel rooms and suites reached 100 percent for the last 10 days of the holy month with the total value of reservation reaching SR1 billion. Individuals and agencies have already paid for 124,000 rooms of 162,000 hotel rooms available in the central region for the last 10 days of Ramadan, hotel executives told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. Rida Chelbi, reservation and marketing manager at a Makkah hotel said: "Our 810 rooms have been sold out with prices ranging between SR1,950 and 2,500 for a single room, including iftar meals for the first 10 days of Ramadan." Double-bed room was given for SR1,950, three-bed room for SR2,200 and four-bed room SR2,500, he said. However, he pointed out that the rate of a double-bed room rose to SR27,000 for the last 10 days of Ramadan while the that for three-bed room jumped to SR32,000 and for four-bed room SR36,000 inclusive of iftar. "Our hotel rooms for the last 10 days of Ramadan were booked much before the holy month. There are some semi-confirmed bookings by businessmen and businesswomen from within the Kingdom and abroad," Chelbi said. Abdullah Al-Suhaimi, a receptionist at a hotel, said occupancy rates have reached its peak this year, reaching 95 percent compared to 80 percent last year. Rates for rooms at his hotel begin from SR1,700 for two-bed room, SR2,200 for three-bed room, SR2,400 for four-bed room, inclusive of iftar and transportation between the hotel and the Haram. "Hotel booking for the last 10 days of Ramadan has reached 100 percent," Al-Suhaimi said, adding that the rates of rooms range between SR25,000 and SR31,000 for the last 10 days of the holy month, when millions of pilgrims and worshippers visit the holy city for Umrah and prayers. Faisal Al-Sharief, director general of Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage in Makkah, said more than 162,000 hotel rooms are now available in the city for pilgrims and visitors. "We have licensed 947 hotels and furnished apartments in Makkah. Among them 480 hotels and 107 furnished apartments are currently operating," he said. There are 30 five-star, 28 four-star, 125 three-star and 105 two-star hotels in Makkah. "Hotels in Makkah have a total of 162,493 rooms and can accommodate more than 1.89 million visitors while residential apartments provide 13,691 rooms with a capacity for 164,000 guests a month," Al-Sharief explained. He said hotels and furnished apartments in Makkah together can accommodate more than two million pilgrims monthly. Among the furnished apartment buildings in the city four are classified as second class, 21 as third class and 82 as fourth class.
