Strong demand reduces hotel discounts during Eid al-Fitr

Hotel establishments have offered special accommodation packages on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr for residents of the country, requiring early reservation to benefit from discounts of up to 20%. Managers in the hospitality and tourism sector said that strong demand reduces the need for more offers and more competitive prices during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, pointing out that hotels may not find themselves forced to offer more price offers on room rates to attract guests, given the already high occupancy levels.

Special packages

In detail, hotels in Dubai have begun offering special accommodation packages for the Eid al-Fitr season for residents of the country, relying on the principle of early reservation as a condition to benefit from discounts of up to 20% on the best prices.

The new offers include discounts ranging between 10 and 20% on the best available prices, in addition to additional benefits that extend to integrated hospitality experiences. Some offers provide specific discounts for children in restaurants, in addition to festive programs for children during Eid days. The bulk of the announced offers, so far, are concentrated in hotel groups, especially beach resorts that primarily target families, while a group of hotels within the city offered a discount on the prices available during booking.

The packages are not limited to accommodation only, but include additional benefits such as discounts on spa treatments and dining experiences within the hotel, in addition to greater flexibility in arrival and departure times, through early check-in and late check-out.

These offers mainly target UAE residents, as customers will be required to present a valid Emirates ID card to benefit from the promotional prices.

Some offers also include discounts at restaurants within the hotel, with the exception of room service, while all prices are subject to applicable taxes and service fees, in line with hotel pricing policies in the emirate.

Other hotels have offered offers that go beyond the concept of traditional accommodation, by offering integrated packages that include meals, entertainment activities for children, and access to private beaches, in addition to “longer stay at a lower price” offers that grant additional discounts when booking two or more nights.

Other hotel establishments have begun offering spending credits that can be used within the hotel in restaurants or entertainment facilities spread across Dubai, with rewards and loyalty points obtained for every amount spent.

Eid holiday

The General Manager of Al-Awadi Travel Company, Amin Al-Awadi, said, “Hotels have put forward some offers on accommodation services, including discounts of specific percentages during the Eid Al-Fitr holiday,” noting that “the hotel market records strong performance levels during Ramadan, and therefore we see that the lack of offers reflects the previously high occupancy levels, which are expected to rise at greater rates during the Eid holiday.”

Al-Awadhi added, “Most of these offers are subject to availability, meaning that they may run out within a short period, if demand is high, and thus benefiting from them requires booking early or a sufficient period before the holiday date,” explaining that this step reflects a shift in hotel marketing towards anticipating demand and securing sufficient reservations well in advance of the holiday.

He stated that the offers reflect a trend in the hotel sector towards securing reservations early and reducing reliance on instantaneous reservations during peak periods, in a move aimed at stimulating advance demand and raising occupancy levels before the peak period.

Strong season

In addition, the CEO of Carlton Hotels, Hosni Abdel Hadi, confirmed that “the hotel sector in Dubai is witnessing during the current period one of its strongest operating seasons, driven by the rise in international tourism demand and the continued momentum that characterizes the emirate during the first months of the year,” stressing that occupancy levels during the month of Ramadan recorded a performance exceeding expectations in most hotel establishments.

He explained that “most of Dubai’s hotels are currently operating with high occupancy rates during Ramadan, which levels are considered high.”

He added that initial indicators of reservations confirm that demand will continue to rise as the Eid al-Fitr holiday approaches, as hotels record strong advance reservations, whether from international markets or from regional visitors, which enhances expectations of achieving high occupancy rates during the Eid, without the need to rely heavily on promotional campaigns or large price discounts.

Abdul Hadi pointed out that hotels during the Eid period may not find themselves forced to offer more offers to attract guests, as was the case in some previous seasons, explaining that “high demand naturally reduces the need for discounts, as many hotel establishments have already begun to achieve advanced booking levels sufficiently before the Eid.” He said that “the offers currently offered focus more on adding value to the experience, such as accommodation benefits and additional services, rather than directly reducing prices.”

He stressed that “Dubai is currently witnessing a strong tourist season, supported by an increase in the flow of tourists from international markets,” pointing out that the high demand gives hotels greater flexibility in managing prices, expecting the upward trend in prices to continue as Eid al-Fitr approaches, especially with the limited rooms available, compared to the expected volume of demand.

He explained that the relationship between supply and demand in the market currently is clearly tilted in favor of demand, which means that prices will continue to rise gradually during the Eid period, supported by early reservations and continued tourist flows.

He explained that the strength of the current season reflects the growing position of Dubai as a global tourist destination capable of maintaining its momentum throughout the year, and not only during the traditional seasons, pointing out that the advanced tourism infrastructure, the diversity of the hotel product, and the ease of air access are all factors that contributed to enhancing hotel performance even during periods that were previously considered off-peak.

Hotel sector

In turn, the General Manager of the Copthorne Hotel – Dubai, Wael Al-Bahi, said, “The hotel sector in Dubai is currently witnessing strong levels of demand driven by simultaneous seasonal and tourism factors,” indicating that the operational performance of the hospitality sector reflects the positive momentum that the market is experiencing during this period of the year.

Al-Bahi added, “The hotel’s occupancy rates recorded about 85% during February, which are high levels that reflect the strength of tourism demand,” pointing out that the tourist season during this period of the year plays an important role in enhancing the flow of visitors, especially from international markets.

He explained that current indicators of future reservations show continued strong performance during March, with expectations of maintaining high occupancy rates, supported by advance reservations and active travel traffic to the emirate, stressing that “the tourist market in Dubai is currently going through a clear phase of activity, compared to the same periods in previous years.”

Regarding the Eid al-Fitr season, Al-Bahi indicated that prices during the Eid will be higher compared to the Ramadan period, which is normal in light of the high demand and increased demand for travel and short stays during official holidays.

He added that hotels are not relying on major discounts this year to attract guests, given that there is already strong demand, which reduces the need for intensive promotions.

He stressed that the discounts currently offered remain limited, noting that prices in the market are still competitive, but are likely to gradually rise as the Eid holiday approaches as a result of increased demand and continued strong reservations.

The offers allow for benefiting from discounts provided that reservations are made in advance, as these prices remain subject to availability at the time of reservation, which reinforces the importance of early planning for those wishing to benefit from the offers, before prices rise as Eid approaches.

• Hotels may not find themselves forced to offer more price offers on room rates to attract guests, given the already high occupancy levels.