Abu Dhabi has reported a 12% rise inside the choice of guests staying in its 145 hotels and hotel apartments for the primary 1/2 this year in comparison to the 1st six months of last year.
Figures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) also show that guests within the emirate are staying longer and that there were significant increases in hotel occupancies and revenues.
During the 1st 1/2 this year some 1,333,339 guests checked into Abu Dhabi accommodation delivering 4,226,604 guest nights – an increase of 25% on 2012. On average the guest stayed 3.17 nights – that’s up 12% on last year, which translates into an occupancy rate of 71% – that’s up 8% on 2012.
“We on target and this heightened performance, despite significant increases in resort and hotel inventory, justifies our increased efforts in trade engagement and international marketing and promotion and the expanded product operators and investors have put into the destination,” said HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi.
“We anticipate the momentum building inside the second half the year which covers key happenings including the Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Art, the Al Ain Aerobatics Show, some of headline concerts on Yas Island and major sporting activities including the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the Wake Park World Champonship Finals.
“On the business events front we will look ahead to hosting the International Conference on Neurology and Epidemiology that’s expected to be attended by upwards of 600 specialists in these fields and Abu Dhabi’s hosting, this December, of the Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum.”
Year-to-date hotel revenues rose 16% to AED 2.7 billion (US $734 million) despite a slight fall-off of three% in average room rate to AED 447 (US $122). Food & beverage income continued to hang its own climbing 15% to AED 1 billion (US $287.5 million).
Abu Dhabi’s strong performance was aided by a bumper June when guest arrivals rose 13%, guest nights increased 22%, revenues shot up by 13%, people stayed longer and occupancy increased by 6% to 65%.
“We look going someway to breaking the cycle of major business dips in summer,” explained Al Muhairi. “And what’s really encouraging is that guests are staying longer – which means our campaign to convince those that there’s now even more to do and spot in Abu Dhabi, is taking hold. We’ve broken in the course of the three nights stay mark.”
While domestic tourism continued to be the destination’s largest single catchment, India snatched the tip slot because the emirate’s largest overseas source market toppling the united kingdom into second place.
Some 80,179 Indian nationals stayed in Abu Dhabi’s hotels from January until the top of June a 22% rise on last year. They accounted for 334,238 guest nights -that’s up 43% on 2012 and stayed a standard of four.17 nights – a rise of 17%.
“We are benefitting from increased destination awareness in India following the hole a year ago of a dedicated promotions office there and likewise of increased air access from the rustic following Etihad Airways’ equity stake in Jet Airways and the move by the Indian carrier of its Middle East hub to Abu Dhabi,” explained Al Muhairi.
During the primary six months 78,053 Britons stayed within the emirate’s hotels – a 9% increase on last year. They delivered 362,690 room nights, which was up 21% and stayed for a regular of four.65 nights – 11% greater than last year.
Germany came in because the third largest overseas market with 62,488 of its nationals staying – 27% up on last year. Germans accounted for 296,624 guest nights, that’s an increase of 37% on 2012 and that they stayed, on average, 4.75 nights – that is 8% up on last year.
Russians are proving to be Abu Dhabi’s longest stayers checking in for a typical of just over six nights – a six per cent increase on 2012. And more Russians are coming to the destination than ever before with 13,094 checking in in the course of the first six months – a 46% increase on 2012 – and accounting for 79,750 guest nights.