Reawakening From COVID-19, Hotel Room Prices In Makkah Are Big Discounts

JAKARTA - Hotel prices in Makkah have been slashed to levels unprecedented in the Umrah season. The price of hotel rooms in Makkah has dropped to 38 Saudi Arabian riyals, or around IDR 150,000 in several areas.

Launching Arab News, Wednesday, October 7, a five-star hotel with a view of the Grand Mosque in Makkah is also getting ready to resume its activities. Hotel industry activities will return to normal by offering massive discounts. This holy city for Muslims has more than 1,400 hotels, which account for more than two-thirds of the accommodation sector in all of Saudi Arabia.

Known to have the highest prices throughout the year, now hotel rooms near the Grand Mosque are priced between 250 riyals (around Rp. 984 thousand) to 700 riyals (around Rp. 2.7 million).

Minister of Haj and Umrah Dr. Mohammed Saleh Benten said the central hotels in Makkah had managed to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Benten expressed his gratitude and happiness for the wonderful offer made by Makkah hotels and described him as a safe hotel environment and taking health requirements into account.

Abdullah Filali, chair of the hotel committee at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the promotions announced by some hotels were a gradual way to revitalize the hotel sector. He said pricing was just the beginning of a gradual and progressive return to health for a troubled industry.

Filali noted that the low prices did not reflect the volume of jobs, which fell to their lowest level after the pandemic hit. He added that only four central hotels are starting to revive and the recovery of the accommodation sector will go well in October 2021. Competitiveness will return by the end of 2023, Filali said.

The manager of one of the hotels in Makkah, Fadel Munqal, said the state's efforts to serve Muslims are clear and proven through the protection of the safety of the congregation. The steps to re-open Umrah are in accordance with health protocols and are full of caution.

“The Kingdom strives to achieve the highest level of certainty and readiness for all pilgrims from different countries, which will be achieved with the start of the third phase of the plan. This will show the true return of the accommodation sector and allow worshipers to experience integrated spiritual and tourism experiences, "Munqal said.

Munqal added that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had sacrificed economic prosperity in a noble step. The kingdom wants to protect the safety of pilgrims during Haj and Umrah, and says Saudi Arabia has the capability to help hotels compete with the arrival of pilgrims from around the world.

Apart from places of worship, Makkah also provides Islamic tourism sites, in addition to a history museum. One that is expected to be a mainstay is the Makkah Grand Mosque Library. The library has launched more than 16 initiatives to start welcoming visitors. The library will receive 30 visitors per hour amid strict social distancing measures.