ABU Dhabi’s hotels and apartments welcomed more guests in the first seven months of this year compared to any other period, according to figures recently released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
Compared with the same period last year, from January to July, guest arrivals increased 10 per cent to 1.5 million. They generated almost 4.8 million guest nights, up 23 per cent, with guests staying an average of 3.2 nights, a rise of 12 per cent, and driving occupancy up by seven per cent to 68 per cent.
Year-to-date hotel revenues rose 16 per cent to almost three billion dirhams (US$81.5 million), with F&B accounting for 1.2 billion dirhams.
TCA Abu Dhabi director general, Mubarak Al Muhairi, said: “These results make encouraging reading when viewed against the fact that hotel inventory in the emirate has grown from 137 properties and 23,613 rooms in 2012 to 146 offering 25,300 rooms this year.
“With a final quarter ahead of us which is packed with major events, including the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Art, the Seatrade Middle East Forum and the Al Ain Aerobatic Show, the best results of the year have yet to come.”
India sent the most arrivals (92,529, up 21 per cent over 2012), followed by the UK (86,284, up eight per cent) and Germany (67,968, up 25 per cent).
Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry is also developing tailored products and attractions to cater to the lucrative Chinese market, which delivered 23,618 hotel guests in the first seven months, up 36 per cent year-on-year.
TCA Abu Dhabi director of strategy & policy, Mohammed Al Dhaheri, said: “Local stakeholders are developing specific packages catering for peak Chinese travel times, such as the Golden Week and Chinese New Year, and are increasingly employing Mandarin and Cantonese speaking staff to take advantage of opportunities afforded by the growing air links from China.
“Chinese visitors are staying with us longer and in greater numbers, largely because there’s now much more to see and do with Yas Waterworld, public beaches on Yas and Saadiyat islands and a flurry of new hotels and resorts which have come online.
“Our shopping offering has expanded, with The Galleria at Sowwah Square on Al Maryah Island bringing a new luxury precinct to the emirate’s financial district.
