Abu Dhabi records best ever May for hotel stays
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Abu Dhabi’s 146 hotels and hotel apartments boasted “best ever’ May results with near across-the-board growth in key performance indicators, according to official figures.
Growth was recorded across guest arrivals, guest nights, average-length-of-stay, occupancy and revenues.
Last month 232,650 guests checked into the emirate’s accommodation – a rise of 21% on May 2012, accounting for 716,041 guest nights, which is up 32% on the month-to-month comparison.
“This is an extremely heartening result as we look to achieve a greater traction to balance our supply-and demand equation,” said HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
“We are particularly encouraged by growth in the average-length-of-stay, which has moved up 9% to 3.08 nights. This suggests that our campaign to convince travellers of our ‘more to see and do’ destination proposition is converting extended stays. While there is still much to be done, the results suggest we are on the right track.”
Occupancy rates nudged up 7% during May to 67% with total revenues climbing 22% to AED 439.5 milliion (US $119.7 million), which represents a 22% month-on-month growth. Room revenues rose 23% to AED 205.15 million ($55.9 million) while food & beverage income grew 23% to AED 185.8 million ($50.6 million). Average room rate was the only non-climber, it slipped 1% to AED 401 ($109).
Abu Dhabi has now experienced consistent arrivals growth every month this year and leaves it well placed to achieve its 2013 hotel guest target of 2.5 million.
This May domestic tourism proved a stalwart for Abu Dhabi with a 9% growth in guests to 81,358. India took over from the UK as the emirate’s largest international source market with 15,091 Indians checking into Abu Dhabi – a 37% rise on 2012. The Indian guests delivered 54,734 guests nights – up 33% on last year and stayed, on average, 3.63 nights.
“India with its close proximity to Abu Dhabi and increasing air access emanating from Jet Airways’ move of its regional hub to Abu Dhabi International and the addition of services from Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi to the UAE capital, is an increasingly promising proposition for us,” said Al Muhairi.
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