Abu Dhabi Exceeds 2.5 Million Hotel Guests Target For 2013

Abu Dhabi-based hotels received over 2.5 million hotel guests in the last nine months, exceeding the emirate’s annual guest target due to strong tourist numbers throughout the year.

Hotels in the emirate also performed exceedingly well in the month of November, according to the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi). Guest arrivals during the month rose 26 per cent year-on-year, with some 260,810 guests checking in and delivering 856,785 hotel nights. Occupancy levels rose by 10 per cent to reach 83 per cent while revenues touched Dhs669 million.

“This is great news which we were cautiously optimistic about given that November was packed with events including the headline Grand Prix, the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, the FIFA Under 17 World Cup and Abu Dhabi Art,” said Jasem Al Darmaki, deputy director general, TCA Abu Dhabi.

“It’s all the more gratifying given that since last year the emirate has seen 12 more properties and almost 2,500 new rooms come on line.

“Length of stay – which is now touching 3.3 nights – continues its upward trend which suggests people are increasingly convinced of there being ever more to do and see here.”

According to TCA Abu Dhabi, around 2,530,810 guests stayed in Abu Dhabi’s hotels in the first nine months of this year, rising 17 per cent from last year.

Year-to-date guest nights jumped 26 per cent to over 7.9 million while average-length-of-stay has edged up eight per cent to 3.14 nights. Occupancy rate for the year to date is 70 per cent, up nine per cent from 2012.

Total year-to-date hotel revenues reached Dhs5 billion, up 11 per cent from last year while F&B income amounted to Dhs1.9 billion.

Abu Dhabi also recorded strong numbers in domestic tourism as UAE guest arrivals rose by six per cent to touch 865,966.

India was the top overseas source market this year with 157,594 Indians checking into Abu Dhabi’s hotels, up 26 per cent from 2012. They delivered 620,641 room nights, up by a quarter year-on-year and stayed for an average of 3.94 nights.

The UK was the second largest source market for overseas tourists with 147,852 guest arrivals in the emirate. British guests accounted for 690,902 guest nights and stayed on average for 4.67 nights. Germany ranked third in overseas guest ranking with 107,264 tourist arrivals.

“As we enter December, we look forward to significant returns from the festive and international holiday season,” said Al Darmaki.

“With Etihad Airways planning daily flights from Rome, Zurich, Perth, Medina, Los Angeles and Jaipur, four weekly flights from Yerevan in Armenia and a thrice-weekly flight from Dallas Fort Worth, new business opportunities abound.”