Madinah hotels fuller than Makkah's, Argaam reports

Madinah hotels fuller than Makkah’s, Argaam reports

Argaam reported on 4 October 2026 that Madinah (Medina) had the highest hotel occupancy of any Saudi region in Q2 2026, at 65.3%, citing the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). Makkah (Mecca) followed with hotel occupancy of 50% in the same quarter, according to the same report. These are regional averages over one quarter. They do not describe any single building, or a home you might buy.

If you are still working out whether you can buy at all, start with Can foreigners buy property in Makkah and Madinah?

Serviced apartments lag hotels

Argaam, citing GASTAT’s Tourism Establishments Statistics bulletin, reported occupancy of 44.2% for serviced apartments and other hospitality facilities in Makkah in Q2 2026. The figure for serviced apartments and similar facilities in Madinah was 38.7% in the same quarter, Argaam reported. By Argaam’s figures, Madinah’s hotels were fuller than Makkah’s, while its serviced apartments were less full.

If your interest is hospitality income without owning a unit, see Investing in Makkah and Madinah without a unit.

Room rates and length of stay

Hotel prices were close in the two cities. Stays were not.

Argaam reported an average daily room rate in Makkah of SAR 585 for hotels and SAR 196 for serviced apartments in Q2 2026. In Madinah, Argaam gave SAR 589 for hotels and SAR 221 for serviced apartments over the same quarter. Hotel guests in Makkah stayed 7.3 nights on average, against 1.9 nights in serviced apartments, according to Argaam. In Madinah the averages were 4.3 nights in hotels and 2.6 nights in serviced apartments, Argaam reported.

None of these figures describe privately owned homes or rental returns. GASTAT can confirm what its bulletin covers and how it defines each category.

Tourism jobs in both regions

Argaam reported approximately 298,900 tourism workers in the Makkah region in Q2 2026, which it put at 28% of the national total. Madinah had 63,720 tourism workers, or 6% of the national total, by the same report.

Figures quoted by a seller

A seller or agent may quote occupancy or room rates when describing a property near the Grand Mosque or the Prophet’s Mosque. Ask which source the figures come from and which period they cover. Ask too whether they refer to hotels or to serviced apartments, since the bulletin reports the two separately and the gap between them is wide. Request the original GASTAT source in writing and keep a copy. Our guide Verify before you pay sets out the wider checks before money changes hands.

Questions for REGA and advisers

For questions on eligibility or the designated zones where foreigners can buy, confirm with the Real Estate General Authority (REGA). How hotel figures relate to your own plans for worship, family stays or letting depends on your situation, so check with a licensed adviser.

This is not legal advice. Rules change, and each fact above shows the date we last checked it. Speak to a licensed adviser before you commit money.