Abu Dhabi Hotel Guests Up 36% In January

Around 276,970 guests checked into Abu Dhabi’s hotels and hotel apartments in January this year, up 36 per cent from the corresponding period last year, according to the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).

Guests to the capital delivered 855, 651 nights, up 26 per cent from December 2013 while occupancy rates rose to 77 per cent year-on-year. The average room rate increased to Dhs462, up two per cent in January, TCA Abu Dhabi reported.

Total hotel revenues touched Dhs522 million, up 22 per cent year-on-year while revenues from food and beverages rose 21 per cent to touch Dhs194 million.

“January reaped the benefits of the international holiday seasons and the hosting of numerous major events in the emirate including the World Future Energy Summit and the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship,” said Jasem Al Darmaki, deputy director general, TCA Abu Dhabi.

“This is an excellent start to a year in which we have stretched our hotel guest target to 3.1 million following last year’s record breaking performance when we exceeded our hotel guest target and achieved our original 2014 goal of 2.8 million.”

India remained Abu Dhabi’s top tourist source market as 16,221 Indians checked into the capital’s hotels in January, up 29 per cent from last year.

The UK continued to be the second largest overseas market, up 24 per cent year-on-year, with 15,208 Britons delivering 64,150 guest nights.

The U.S was the third largest overseas provider of guests with 10, 935 Americans staying in the capital’s hotels, up 48 per cent year-on-year.

“We anticipate being able to maintain this upward momentum given the air capacity uplift to be delivered shortly through new Etihad Airways’ services between Jaipur and Abu Dhabi and from Perth in Australia and Los Angeles and Dallas in the USA,” said Al Darmaki.

“These new services will complement greater planned frequency on Etihad’s services from Dublin and New York as well as Air Berlin’s doubling, next October, of its daily flights from the German capital to the UAE capital.”

The number of Chinese tourists to Abu Dhabi also witnessed a large increase with 9,751 Chinese guests checking in this January. They accounted for 14,632 room nights, up by 147 per cent year-on-year, TCA Abu Dhabi reported.

“January’s performance ranks China as our sixth largest overseas source market though its stellar performance could be due to large scale bookings to celebrate Chinese New Year,” said Al Darmaki.

Among the GCC states, Kuwait was Abu Dhabi’s top market for guests this year. Around 2, 215 Kuwaitis checked into the emirate’s hotels, up 76 per cent from January 2013, and delivered 5,441 guest nights- an average of 2.46 nights. The average stay of Kuwaiti guests also rose 99 per cent month-on-month, TCA Abu Dhabi added.