The accommodation sector in tourist locations across the Kingdom regained their vigor during the just-concluded Eid, with the average rate of occupancy reaching 100 percent in coastal cities such as Jeddah, while occupancy in hotels and furnished apartments going well over 80 percent.
Khalil Bahadour, member of the National Committee for Tourism and Hotels, was quoted yesterday in the business daily Al-Eqtisadiah saying reservations for accommodations in tourist spots started as early as mid-Ramadan.
“The resorts, hotels and furnished apartments have registered the highest rate of occupancy in many years,” he said, adding that the high temperature and the school summer vacation have greatly contributed to the high rate of occupancy.
Bahadour said the huge demand for occupancy at sea resorts and chalets during Eid drove many of them to initiate what is known as a “day use service” during which occupants were allowed to use the resorts during the day and part of the evening. “The day use charge per individual was SR 100, with the resorts and chalets expected to make upwards of SR 130 million,” he said.
According to Bahadour, the charge for the “day use service” was less than five-fold of the night reservation. “Families preferred this service because it included free lunch in addition to enjoying all entertainment activities organized during the day time,” he explained.
Under this service, occupants could use the resorts and chalets for the entire day and part of the evening, but would not be allowed to stay for the night. Muhammad Saeed Al-Adlouni, director for a company which owns and runs a number of sea resorts in Obhur, said the “day use service” was used limitedly during the year, but this time it was applied extensively. “The low rate of this service enabled families to spend time at the sea at less cost,” he said.
Mahmoud Keelani, director for a number of furnished apartments in Jeddah, said occupancy reached more than 80 percent during Eid. “This was due to the large number of people who came from other regions to spend Eid in Jeddah,” he said.
Keelani denied that accommodation prices were increased to take advantage of the high demand during Eid, and said if there was an increase, it was not more than 10 percent.
Resorts occupancy reaches 100 percent during Eid celebration
Resorts occupancy reaches 100 percent during Eid celebration
Saudi Arabia reaffirms commitment to the two-state solution
- Waleed Elkhereiji stressed the “importance of mobilizing political and economic support and advancing practical steps that translate commitments into concrete measures and accelerate the realization of the two-state solution”
RIYADH: In Riyadh on Friday, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji participated on behalf of Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan in the extraordinary meeting of the Open-Ended Executive Committee at the level of foreign ministers of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to discuss the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Elkhereiji reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution and its efforts to unify international positions.
He stressed the “importance of mobilizing political and economic support and advancing practical steps that translate commitments into concrete measures and accelerate the realization of the two-state solution,” the SPA stated.
He also restated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to continuing this path with partner countries to achieve “a just and comprehensive peace that fulfills the aspirations of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative.”
