Mecca hotels have a long history… from cakes to clock towers

Since it became a sacred destination for millions, Makkah Al-Mukarramah has attracted, throughout the ages, visitors from all over the world, and as their number increased, the hotel sector played a vital role in it, since the establishment of its first hotel (Al-Kaki) in the early twentieth century, and the emergence of its prominent sign (Towers). The clock) at the beginning of the millennium, and the presence of international brands with billions of investments, is a living witness to the development that the Holy Capital has witnessed since the beginning of Vision 2030.

Historically, Meccan hotels in the early eras of Islam were characterized by simplicity. In the past, pilgrims would arrive in those areas, tired from their journeys, and would take refuge in simple accommodations, ranging from tents to rural inns.

Over time, the industry developed, and this development was paralleled locally by the establishment of the Al-Kaki Hotel in the early twentieth century as the first hotel of its kind in Mecca. It consisted of 6 floors, designed similar to hotels in Europe at the time to receive dignitaries, princes, and officials, and most of its guests were from abroad.

It was distinguished by the availability of the first elevator to transport guests in a hotel in Saudi Arabia, and it included 193 rooms in addition to two large restaurants. It was distinguished by the presence of the first steam machine to raise the temperature of the water in the winter. This step was a technical revolution at the time, providing an advanced level of comfort and luxury that had never been seen before. It has its counterpart in Mecca.

During the reign of King Fahd in 2002, a distinctive type of large hotels appeared that can be classified as skyscrapers, such as the Clock Towers Complex, which is the tallest building in Saudi Arabia and the fifth in the world. The complex can accommodate 65,000 people, contains 11,116 rooms, and has dozens of shops.

In the new era, Vision 2030 set a strategy and specific goals to improve the sector and raise its level to the global level. The Vice Chairman of the Tourism and Hotels Committee at the Makkah Chamber, Abdul Mohsen Al-Ajlan, described this step in his speech to Al-Eqtisadiah as putting the sector in the right direction compared to the past, and contributed In addressing many challenges, this can be seen in this year’s Hajj, which was characterized by early preparation and planning since the month of Rajab by all concerned parties, whether governmental or private, which greatly facilitated this year’s season for pilgrims and workers in the sector.

He added that a percentage ranging between 70% and 80% of the hotel sector in Mecca suffered in the past from a lack of profit margin as a result of the balance of revenues with high operational costs, which previously contributed to the lack of development of the sector, of course, with the exception of large hotels, but the increase in the number of pilgrims and the expansion The Umrah season, as a result of Vision 2030 programs, has greatly helped these facilities improve and develop.

According to the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, there are about 1,000 hotels and more than 250,000 hotel rooms in Mecca, with high-quality classification and specifications. There are also 33,560 hotel rooms under construction, according to Colliers International, a consulting company, which confirms the growth of the sector.

The volume of hotel investments in the Holy Capital now amounts to 144 billion riyals, according to the Tourism Authority.

Al-Ajlan confirmed that the percentage of reservations for this year’s Hajj season reached 100% in all hotel categories, and prices are similar to previous years, due to the limited purchasing power. Most of the visitors who come for Hajj from our Muslim brothers belong to the simple economic classes, which requires setting specific prices suitable for them. This is a challenge, although the main and major challenge in the coming years is to address the problem of informal and unlicensed establishments in the sector, as their percentage was more than 40% before the start of the vision programs. I am optimistic that it will end soon.

Al-Ajlan continued: We are pleased with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s announcement that the beginning of permits for the Umrah season will be on the 20th of Dhul-Hijjah, which is further evidence of the high economic thinking that Vision 2030 carries, stressing the sector’s readiness to bear the expected annual increase for Umrah pilgrims and pilgrims, which is approximately 20%, until we reach the goal of the vision. By reaching 30 million Umrah pilgrims and 6 million Hajj pilgrims.