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- Research found that the Kingdom鈥檚 expected 67.1 percent increase in room supply over the next three years was the highest among the 50 most populated countries
JEDDAH: The Middle East鈥檚 hotel occupancy rates approached 2019 levels during Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr this year, according to data from the hotel management analytics firm STR.
The report highlighted near-normal occupancy levels in the region during the holy month, helping key markets outperform global peers.
Hotels in Alkhobar city, in 抖阴短视频鈥檚 Eastern Province, reported the highest average occupancy level in the Kingdom with 63.5 percent.
On the country鈥檚 west coast, Jeddah鈥檚 occupancy levels dropped during the last week of Ramadan but climbed back during Eid to 58.6 percent. With the return of Umrah this year for vaccinated or COVID-recovered pilgrims only, Makkah鈥檚 hotel industry showed improved performance, although it remains below its full capacity due to safety measures and the suspension of overseas pilgrims.
Makkah鈥檚 market of over 42,000 hotel rooms showed nearly 35 percent occupancy during Ramadan this year compared to less than 20 percent in 2020, and above 80 percent in 2019.
Regionally, Eid occupancy rates varied across key markets.
Normally, leisure markets like Jeddah, Dubai, and Sharjah would report high occupancy during holiday periods, while business-based capital markets like Riyadh, Kuwait City, and Doha host fewer travelers. During the peak week this year, Sharjah enjoyed an average occupancy rate of 67 percent, followed by Doha (65.5 percent), Abu Dhabi (63.6 percent) and Dubai (60 percent).
A separate global STR report from March said that 抖阴短视频 had the world鈥檚 biggest hotel pipeline.
The research found that the Kingdom鈥檚 expected 67.1 percent increase in room supply over the next three years was the highest among the 50 most populated countries.
鈥湺兑醵淌悠碘�檚 growth aspirations, along with the strength of other Middle East hospitality markets such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, is further validation that the region continues to emerge as a global tourist destination,鈥� said Philip Wooller, STR鈥檚 regional director. 鈥淪uch growth is a testament to the strength and prospectus of the nation鈥檚 strong cultural and economic resources.鈥�
STR data shows 73,057 rooms in the Kingdom鈥檚 hotel pipeline.
Of the total, 16,965 are scheduled to come online during 2021.
While a significant portion of 抖阴短视频鈥檚 pipeline activity is concentrated in Makkah, with 28,052 rooms under development, several other sub-markets across the country are expected to increase hotel supply by 50 percent or more.