Hajj and Eid Al Adha boost RevPAR at KSA hotels

Hotels in the Middle East saw impact on performance from Hajj and Eid Al Adha, according to data from STR Global.

Makkah was able to maintain high levels of revenue per available room during Hajj, similar to last year. At the start of Hajj, Makkah was able to achieve RevPAR of nearly SAR2,000 (US $533). In Medina, hotels saw RevPAR increases beyond SAR1,100 ($293) for three consecutive days.

Because Eid Al Adha fell on a weekend in 2014 versus on weekdays in 2013, the three-day celebration period of Eid 2014 saw year-over-year declines in occupancy (-3.9%), ADR (-6.5%) and RevPAR (-10.2%).

The average RevPAR across the three days was AED911.40 ($248) in 2014 and AED1014.60 ($276) in 2013. When comparing the holiday periods (six days in 2013 and four days in 2014), 2014 saw occupancy and ADR decline by 1.3% and 6% respectively.

In Muscat, occupancy rose during the 10-day period of Eid Al Adha, peaking at 81%. Total RevPAR experienced a year-over-year decline of 2.5%, also resulting from the difference in days when Eid occurred.

Despite occupancy and RevPAR declines when compared to 2013 levels, ADR saw a slight increase of 3.2% during the three days of Eid; averaging at OMR112 ($291). Occupancy, which began at its lowest point of 47.2% on Thursday, 2 October, reached its peak of 72.7% two days later on Saturday, 4 October.

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