The recent data released by STR Global revealed that the Middle East/Africa region reported mostly positive performance results in June 2012. The region’s occupancy increased 8.7% to 58.2% during the month, its ADR fell 1.8% to US$136.16 and its RevPAR rose 6.8% to US$79.22.
Year-to-date for 2012, the region reported a 9.4% occupancy increase to 60.6%, a 1.5% ADR decrease to US$162.37, and a 7.7% rise in RevPAR to US$98.38.
“Middle Eastern hoteliers reported improving occupancy and average room rates boosted by double-digit demand growth for the first half of 2012 compared to the first six months in 2011,” Elizabeth Randall, managing director at STR Global, said. “The occupancy and average room rate for the first half of 2012 is, however, still behind its peak performance of the first six months in 2008. For the first six months of 2008, the region achieved 70.9% occupancy and rate of US$235.64. The region saw the highest increase in new room supply compared to the other world regions since 2008. Africa reported continued occupancy improvements whilst average room rates remain under pressure compared to the first half 2011. In contrast, looking back at the first half of 2008, the Africa region surpassed its average room rate performance by US$12.68.”
Highlights for the region include (year-on-year comparisons):
- Muscat, Oman, rose 34.1% in occupancy to 51.6%, posting the largest increase in that metric, followed by Amman, Jordan, with a 15.0% increase to 67.8%.
- Doha, Qatar, ended the month with the largest occupancy decrease, falling 11.8% to 49.4%.
- Dubai, UAE, achieved the largest ADR increase, rising 9.8% to US$170.07, followed by Amman with an 8.2% increase to US$155.51.
- Cape Town, South Africa, fell 15.6% in ADR to US$102.93, posting the largest decrease in that metric, followed by Muscat with a 13.3% decrease to US$152.90.
- Four markets experienced RevPAR increases of more than 15%: Amman (+24.4% to US$105.43); Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (18.2% to US$195.70); Dubai (+18.0% to US$125.25); and Muscat (+16.3% to US$78.87).
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, fell 15.4% in RevPAR to US$66.13, reporting the largest decrease in that metric.