Tourism demand in Makkah, Madinah not dampened by regional conflict, says Knight Frank
RIYADH: Makkah and Madinah’s hospitality sectors demonstrated resilience in early 2026, weathering regional travel disruptions as the Kingdom continues to expand accommodation capacity for religious visitors, according to Knight Frank.
The consultancy’s Saudi Hospitality and Religious Tourism Report found that Makkah remained the Kingdom’s strongest-performing hotel market during the first four months of the year, recording average daily room rates of SR775 ($209) and annual revenue per available room growth of 4.7 percent.
Madinah also maintained strong performance, with occupancy averaging 76 percent and room rates rising 2.7 percent year on year.
The findings come as Saudi Arabia accelerates efforts to position religious tourism as a key pillar of its Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy.
