Ramadan is make-or-break for Saudi Arabia’s religious tourism sector
Photo: Muslims pray at the Grand Mosque during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, June 8, 2016. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
*Corrects Tarfeeh franchises from Applebee's, TGI Friday's, Chili's, and Fuddruckers to Applebee's, Ocean Basket, and Romano's Macaroni Grill
As the home of Islam’s most sacred sites, religious tourism is vitally important to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s hotel and dining industries, with Ramadan a make-or-break period for these establishments amid stiffening competition for the consumer’s riyal.
Saudi tourism, despite being largely restricted to religious visitors, has enjoyed a boom decade, aside from a brief dip in 2012-2013 due to visa restrictions. Domestic tourist trips have surged from 30.2 million in 2005 to 51.0 million in 2015, the most recent year for which government data is publicly available. Foreign visitor numbers increased at a faster rate, rising from 8.0 million to 19.0 million over the same period.
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Matt Smith