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Ramadan tourism bonanza for Bahrain hotels

MANAMA, July 4, 2015

Bahrain's luxury hotels are forecasting an increase in Ramadan tourism this year.

There is expected to be a five per cent rise in the number of visitors to five-star hotels during the holy month compared with last year – and a 12 per cent increase since 2013, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

That is based on the number of people showing up to enjoy seasonal events such as iftars and ghabgas.

Bahrain Five Star Hotels Committee head Abdulnabi Al Daylami said top hotels were enjoying a positive Ramadan.  

“Like every year, we have good results this Ramadan,” he stated.

“A lot of hotels are hosting Ramadan ghabgas, either inside or outside with catering, in a similar vein to last year – although some are doing even better.

“Over the course of the month, it is expected to be up 5 per cent from last year and 12 per cent from the year before.”

He said the absence of international conferences meant hotels with exhibition facilities were taking a hit, when compared with the rest of the year.

However, he added that the absence of alcohol and the festive atmosphere were encouraging more Bahraini families to visit the country’s top hotels.

“There is no alcohol and this is very important to Bahrainis and even Gulf nationals in Bahrain,” he noted.

“So you see families go to these restaurants (that normally sell alcohol) as there is no hurdle stopping them," he added.

Al Daylaami said: "For Iftar, we have very good movement and we’ve noticed that Bahrainis have gotten used to going for Iftar in hotels as a whole."

“We also have expats who go for fatoor (Iftar) in hotels because they like that it is Bahraini and Arabic meals, such as thareed (a traditional stew of bread, meat and vegetables) or safi (rabbitfish)," he pointed out.

“They like that they can try these meals. The reality is that in Ramadan, the revenue of hotels is linked mostly to food and the Ramadan tents are doing well," he noted.

“We usually see that in the first week there are fewer parties, people are out visiting friends and family.

“The last week of Ramadan is also usually reserved for taraweeh prayers (special Ramadan prayers) and time spent in mosques, so it’s these middle two weeks that have an increase in ghabgas and people visiting hotels," he added.

According to Daylami, the hotels’ occupancy rates were “very good” considering the timing, adding that many were using the quiet time to refurbish.

“The occupancy ranges from 45 to 60 per cent and that’s very good,” he said.

"At most of our five-star hotels, we also have long-stay company visitors and these are at a good level. This year we also have a new hotel (The Four Seasons Bahrain Bay) and according to our information it’s also doing very good," he added.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Bahrain | tourism | hotels | Ramadan |

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