Hotel room prices in Madinah, Saudi Arabia skyrocketed during Eid as thousands of visitors from across the kingdom travelled to the holy city for the holidays, said a report.

The prices of accommodation in Madinah vary depending on the season and location but it reaches the peak level post Eid, said a report in Saudi Gazette.

Many low-income visitors found it difficult to find accommodation during the holiday season, primarily because of an acute shortage of accommodation in the economy range.

The demolition of hundreds of buildings in the central area near the Prophet’s Mosque as part of the mosque expansion project has created the shortage. Coupled with a huge spike in issuance of Umrah visas and an influx of visitors from other cities taking advantage of the school summer vacation, the shortage led to an unprecedented increase in room rents in the holy city, the report said.

“The price hike during Eid holidays – the peak business season – is normal every year, but this time the prices are skyrocketing,” the report cited Khalid Hussain Madani, who operates a regular transport service to Madinah, as saying.

Many people are ready to pay the high price, yet it is not easy to find accommodation in Madinah, according to him.

The rental hike also applies to star hotels in the city.

Khalid Hussain Al-Shahrani, director of Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) in Madinah said anyone with grievances regarding their accommodation could call the commission’s toll free number 19988. “We have been carrying out regular inspections on different accommodation facilities especially in the central Madinah region to ensure a comfortable stay for pilgrims,” he said.