Occupancy in hotels in the holy city of Makkah this Ramadan has declined by about 30 percent, Dr. Osama Fadhl Al-Bar, Mayor of Makkah, has said. The Mayor said there was no truth in news reports in a section of the press that hotel rates have increased exorbitantly in the city during this Ramadan. Dr. Al-Bar, who is also member of the Central Haj Committee, told Saudi Gazette on Thursday that reduced occupancy in hotels is mainly due to the fact that Umrah pilgrims have mostly opted to stay in residential buildings and apartments situated at a distance from the Grand Mosque. Al-Bar said that out of the total 2.87 million Umrah pilgrims, 2.39 million have returned to their countries. This means only 480,732 are still in the Kingdom and many of them are visiting the Prophet's Mosque in Madina. Embassies of the Kingdom worldwide issued about 3.3 million Umrah visas this year, he said. Dr. Al-Bar said most pilgrims from inside the Kingdom do not stay in hotel accommodations. They bring all their daily requirements with them and stay in apartments and buildings in Aziziya, Misphala, Sharae Mansur Districts etc. These places are well-connected with regular bus services, and therefore, the pilgrims have no difficulty commuting to the Grand Mosque, Dr. Al-Bar said. Some pilgrims prefer to break their fast and offer Tarawih prayers in the Grand Mosque and that is the time when the roads leading to the mosque are crowded, he added. __
