Saudi Retail, Hotels Post Strong Ramadan-Eid 2026 Sales

Retail and hospitality businesses across Saudi Arabia recorded robust sales during the Ramadan–Eid 2026 season, with total consumer spending reaching around SAR 65 billion, of which travel and hospitality accounted for about SAR 8.1 billion. The figures point to strong domestic demand heading into the summer holiday period.

Retail activity grew about 18% year-on-year in early Ramadan 2026. Point-of-sale electronic transactions climbed to SAR 42.8 billion in the first two weeks, up from SAR 36.2 billion a year earlier. In the peak shopping week just before Eid, consumer POS spending reached SAR 16.1 billion, with food and beverage and clothing and accessories each contributing around SAR 2.5 billion.

During the week covering the Eid al-Adha holiday, POS transaction value totalled SAR 14.38 billion. Restaurants and cafes recorded about SAR 1.97 billion, hotels around SAR 263.1 million, apparel and accessories about SAR 1.75 billion, bakeries and pastries SAR 442.9 million, and laundry services SAR 78.1 million — a clear reflection of holiday-linked demand. Eid al-Adha 2026 begins on Wednesday 27 May, with private-sector employees receiving a four-day paid holiday from Tuesday 26 May to Friday 29 May.

Hotels report high occupancy

Five-star hotels in Riyadh and جدة offered Ramadan and Eid iftar buffets typically priced between SAR 250 and SAR 600 serving from roughly 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, with weekend booking rates exceeding 90%. In Riyadh, luxury properties along King Fahd Road, Olaya and مركز الملك عبدالله المالي led demand, while seafront hotels on كورنيش جدة and the Al-Shati district reported strong Eid-season occupancy.

Tourist arrivals rose about 8% in the first quarter of 2026, and average hotel occupancy across the Kingdom exceeded 66%. The Ramadan Sales Season 2026 runs 54 days from 1 February to 26 March, with retailers obtaining discount permits online via the Ministry of Commerce platform sales.mc.gov.sa; participation does not deduct from an establishment's annual discount quota.

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