Since the beginning of August hotels in Asir have been registering a nearly 100 percent occupancy rate, marking a 30 percent increase from the same time last year, Al-Hayat reported Khaled Asiri, responsible for hotels and furnished apartments for the Ministry of Commerce branch in Asir, said the 322 licensed housing centers and 47 hotels in Asir are reporting bookings exceeding their capacity. The steady stream of tourists are coming from inside and outside the Kingdom with 80 percent coming from the Gulf and 20 percent coming from inside Saudi Arabia. Asiri said the increase was due to two main reasons. “The Supreme Commission of Tourism and Antiquities launched a promotional campaign this year coupled with the fact that many tourists have a longer summer break this year.” Tourists have complained of the high prices but Asiri said the rates are suitable for all categories of tourists and are subject to constant monitoring by the Ministry of Commerce in Abha. “There are many events going on in the area and there are indications the demand for Asir from tourists will grow in the coming weeks,” he said. One owner of a furnished apartment, Mohammad Al-Rafe' said the rates for furnished apartments vary on where the apartment is located and how clean the apartment is. “There are tourists who do not care how much they pay as long as the apartment is luxurious. However others are complaining that the rates are high this year at several of the hotels and furnished apartments,” Al-Rafe' said. The Ministry of Commerce in Asir previously limited hotels and furnished apartments from having rates higher than 70 percent compared to the rest of the year. Not every city is having an excess of visitors during the tourist season. On Sunday Al-Watan reported that only 85 percent of hotels and furnished apartments in Madina were occupied compared to the 100 percent occupancy the same time last year. Mohammad Al-Harbi, owner of a residential apartment in Madina said the decrease was due to the longer summer break, so tourists would be more likely to arrive to the holy city during Ramadan. Samir Kartoush, a hotel employee in Madina said the average price for a two-person room during this period is SR250 to SR500, as suites in the Central Zone reserved for SR500 to SR1,200 depends on the hotel's level. In Jeddah many visitors were faced with the problem of a lack of availability of furnished apartments and hotels. One visitor drove with his family to Jeddah from the Eastern Province and was forced to go back to the Eastern Province once he realized his only choice was either to sleep in his car or drive back. __
