Visitors to Makkah spend second most in the world: report

Makkah has been ranked among the top 10 cities by dollar spent in 2018, according to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index (GDCI) 2019.  

The city, which came in the top 10 list last year, remained at the second position for the second consecutive year, as traveler spend topped $153 on average per day.

Dubai topped the list with travelers spend reaching $553 on average a day, with Bangkok rounding out the top three.

The emirate also retained its position as the fourth most visited city in the world for the fifth year in a row, the report said. The city welcomed 15.93 million international overnight visitors last year and is expected to continue building on its success this year. 

The UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi, was ranked as the fastest-growing city in the Middle East and Africa, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.7 percent between 2009 and 2018 in overnight arrivals. 

Last month, consultancy firm CBRE said that the Saudi government initiatives were increasing the number of pilgrims visiting Makkah, which in turn is having a positive impact on the real estate sector.

Read: Makkah real estate prospers as pilgrim number increase: CBRE

Hotel operators are continuing to provide promotions and special packages to Hajj and Umrah companies, in line with government plans to increase the number of religious tourists visiting the Kingdom to 30 million a year by 2025, it added.