Rasha Tabeela (Abu Dhabi)
Abu Dhabi’s hotel establishments welcomed 3.246 million hotel guests during the first eight months of this year, representing a growth of 31 percent compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi.
The data indicated that the average hotel occupancy over the eight month period was 70 percent, and the hotels recorded total revenues of Dh3.8 billion, demonstrating an increase of 24 percent compared to the same period last year. The average stay duration was 2.6 nights, while the average room rate reached Dh399, representing a growth of 21 percent.
Detailing local and international markets, hotel establishments received 713,000 local guests, representing 22 percent of the total hotel guests in the eight-month period. Regarding international markets, India topped the list of international tourist markets coming to Abu Dhabi with 349,000 hotel guests, indicating an increase of 33 percent.
British visitors accounted for 124,000 guests, a growth of 32 percent, followed by the Egyptian market with 118,000 guests, representing a 23 percent increase. Filipino visitors accounted for 115,000 guests, at an increase of 9 percent, followed by China with 111,000 guests, representing a record growth of 458 percent.
There were around 103,000 Russian guests, up 188 percent, followed by the Saudi market with 98,000 guests, an increase of 21 percent. There were 76,000 American guests, up 28 percent. Pakistani visitors accounted for 72,000 guests, increasing 12 percent, followed by 61,000 Jordanian guests at a growth rate of 13 percent. In terms of regional distribution, Abu Dhabi city’s hotels saw 2.9 million guests during the eight month span, representing an increase of 33 percent from the corresponding period of last year.
Abu Dhabi city’s hotels had an average occupancy rate of 73 percent, representing a growth of 2 percent. According to the data, total hotel revenues amounted to Dh3.5 billion.Al Ain city hotels received 248,000 guests, at an increase of 17 percent, while the average hotel occupancy rate was 54 percent, with Al Ain’s hotel revenues growing 5 percent. In the Al Dhafra region, hotels received 76,000 guests, up 7 percent, while hotel revenues increased 1 percent.
In August alone, Abu Dhabi’s hotels welcomed 421,000 hotel guests, showing an increase of 22 percent compared to August of the previous year, with an average occupancy rate of 71 percent, growing 5 percent. The average hotel stay duration was 2.7 nights, and the average room rate in August was Dh330, representing an 18 percent increase. The total hotel revenues were Dh384 million, representing a growth of 23 percent. In August, visitors from India ranked first in terms of the number of hotel guests in Abu Dhabi, followed by Chinese guests, Saudi guests, Kuwaiti, Egyptian, Filipino, and British guests.