Bahrain’s hotels are bracing for a surge in tourists and visitors during the Eid Al Adha holidays.
The room occupancy rate is expected to exceed 80 per cent as GCC and foreign visitors converge on Bahrain to spend the Eid recess, said tourism and hotel directors and experts.
They stressed the importance of the seasonal Eid Al Adha celebrations in revitalising the hospitality sector, with the windfall benefiting hotels, restaurants, cafés, shopping malls and tourism facilities.
The annual Eid Al Adha festivities represent a golden opportunity to revitalise the national economy, they said, adding Bahrain remains the favoured destination for GCC nationals despite fierce competition.
“The hospitality sector is still heavily reliant on Saudis who represent majority of all hotel bookings,” said Bahrain four-star hotels league chairman Abdulhamid Al Halwaji.
“On the second day of Eid we are expecting occupancy rate at four-star hotels to hit 90pc,” he said.
“Hotels usually offer reduced packages for tourists spending more than four nights,” he said, stressing the importance of fun-filled events at Bab Al Bahrain and malls in attracting tourists.
Golden Tulip director-general Abdulrahim Al Sayyed highlighted improvements in the sector amid preparations to welcome visitors and tourists.
Mr Al Sayyed expected the occupancy rate to range between 70 and 80pc, noting strong competition between hotels and hotel apartments, which, in turn, creates a discrepancy in prices.
&uuid=(email))