Iftar Gatherings, Staycations, and Online Bookings: How Hotels Can Capture Ramadan Opportunities

Key Takeaways

• The growing trend of iftar gatherings at hotels has created new business opportunities during Ramadan, strengthening hotels’ positioning as experience-driven destinations rather than just places to stay.

• Consumers are becoming increasingly digital, with more people booking through smartphones and showing greater interest in short staycations, opening wider opportunities in the leisure and short-escape segments.

• Integrated payment systems have become essential for maximizing conversions during Ramadan. With support from payment partners like DOKU, hotels can process iftar reservations and Ramadan event payments faster, more securely, and with greater flexibility.

Ramadan is often perceived as a “slow season” for certain industries. However, the same does not apply to the hospitality sector. In fact, this period presents even greater opportunities for hotels to accelerate revenue growth, expand market reach, and strengthen customer loyalty.

Beyond fasting itself, Ramadan introduces a new rhythm to consumer spending habits. From iftar gatherings and F&B activities to short staycations, consumer behavior shifts significantly during the holy month. These changes signal that Ramadan hotel business opportunities are becoming increasingly valuable to maximize.

Online Shopping and Booking Trends Are Driving Hotel Business Opportunities

According to insights from Telkomsel Enterprise’s report titled “Weaving Threads of Impact to Win Ramadan 2026,” consumer spending ahead of Ramadan increased significantly, particularly in essential goods and food & beverage categories.

Around 54% of consumers reported higher spending during Ramadan 2025, with average expenditures ranging between IDR 3.5 million and IDR 7 million per person throughout the fasting month.

Consumer digital behavior has also evolved. Approximately 17% of consumers used smartphones not only for online shopping but also for making reservations through OTA (Online Travel Agent) platforms.

These findings indicate that Ramadan is no longer solely associated with daily shopping needs. It has also become a prime moment for consumers to plan staycations and short leisure getaways, directly creating new hotel business opportunities within the leisure and short-escape market.

The Rise of Hotel Iftar Gatherings: A New Growth Driver for Hotel F&B Business

In Indonesia, Ramadan transformation within the hospitality industry has been strongly driven by the growing trend of iftar gatherings at hotel restaurants. Hotels are no longer chosen solely for accommodation but are increasingly becoming preferred destinations for Ramadan social experiences, from family and friends’ gatherings to corporate iftar events.

During Ramadan 2026, many hotels in major cities are becoming more aggressive in positioning themselves as iftar destinations. Various all-you-can-eat buffet packages and themed iftar experiences are being offered, complete with group pricing, early bird promotions, and corporate discounts.

This strategy has transformed iftar gatherings into a core hospitality product rather than merely an additional service. For industry players, this approach creates increasingly significant opportunities on the F&B side of the business.

Hotels are also offering group-based promotions such as “Buy 5 Get 1 Free,” reinforcing the trend that iftar reservations are largely dominated by group bookings and often occur close to the event date through last-minute bookings, as consumers tend to make plans spontaneously.

For hotels, Ramadan is becoming an increasingly strategic period to boost revenue through positioning themselves as destination dining venues, representing a major business opportunity beyond room sales.

Expanding Hotel Business Opportunities During Ramadan

This presents a significant opportunity for Indonesia’s hospitality industry. Ramadan is no longer just about room occupancy rates — it is about how hotels can transform into social experience hubs during the fasting month through iftar packages, themed events, and staycation offers with complimentary suhoor buffets.

This approach broadens hotel business opportunities through:

• increased F&B revenue,
• optimization of restaurant, lounge, and ballroom venues,
• and acquisition of new customers who seek experiences rather than simply accommodation.

Digital Payment Strategies to Maximize Hotel Business Opportunities

Behind the growing hotel business opportunities during Ramadan, there are operational challenges that hotels must anticipate, including:

• high volumes of last-minute bookings that require strong system readiness and cash flow management,
• customers arriving from multiple channels such as websites, OTAs, and social media,
• and increasingly diverse payment preferences, ranging from QRIS and e-wallets to cards and bank transfers.

This is why having a payment system that is seamless, fast, and flexible becomes essential to ensure no transaction opportunity is missed. This is where payment partners such as DOKU play an increasingly important role. Through integrated payment solutions, hospitality businesses can:

• increase successful transaction rates (conversion rate)
• speed up payment processing during peak iftar hours
• offer upfront payment options for iftar packages and Ramadan events
• support promotions and digital campaigns more efficiently

Ultimately, all emerging trends from rising digital activity and strong demand for hotel iftar gatherings to more selective staycation patterns, indicate that Ramadan has become a crucial moment for delivering relevant, practical, and integrated customer experiences.

For hotel businesses, capturing Ramadan 2026 opportunities is no longer simply about preparing iftar packages or room promotions. It is about ensuring the entire customer journey from discovery and reservation to payment, runs smoothly and seamlessly.

With reliable payment ecosystem support from fintech payment company DOKU, businesses can optimize Ramadan momentum as a key growth driver, transform demand spikes into real conversions, and build stronger, more sustainable guest experiences.

Optimize every Ramadan moment, from iftar gatherings to staycations with integrated payment solutions from DOKU.