Abu Dhabi hotels post record performance in Oct

Abu Dhabi has achieved its best October yet in terms of hotel guests and guest nights, according to figures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi). According to figures arrivals at the emirate’s 136 hotels and hotel apartments soared 22 per cent on the same month last year to 223,015 guests with guest nights rising 16 per cent to 675,542. Total hotel revenues increased nine per cent month-on -month to Dhs450 million ($122.5 million) with food & beverage revenue rising 11 per cent and room revenue climbing seven per cent. “October benefitted from an action-packed events series,” said Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general, TCA Abu Dhabi. These included the World Routes Conference held at ADNEC, which attracted more than 2,800 CEOs and senior aviation and tourism professionals from more than 80 countries and generated an estimated direct economic impact for the emirate of Dhs17 million. Abu Dhabi Film Festival, the Yasalam activities ahead of the Grand Prix, the Abu Dhabi Judo Grand Prix and EidFest Abu Dhabi also boosted performance, he said. He added: “We anticipate a strong November result with the impacts from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Art which will leave us well placed to attain our annual 2.3 million hotel guest target as we head towards the end of the year.” Al Muhairi said the authority is focusing on initiatives to build occupancy, which slipped seven per cent last month compared to October 2011 to 71 per cent and the average-length of guest stay, which fell by five per cent month-on-month to 3.03 nights. “There is significant new room stock entering the market - four new properties opened in October and one resort, which had been closed for refurbishment for five months also reopened and we are keenly aware of the pressure on occupancy,” said Al Muhairi. October’s performance has lifted Abu Dhabi’s year-to-date hotel guest arrivals by 16 per cent to 1,96m with guest nights for the period rising 11 per cent to 5,63m. Year-to-date revenues have risen four per cent to Dhs3.61 billion although occupancy fell seven per cent to 64 per cent and the average-length-of-stay dropped four per cent to 2.87 nights. The UK remained Abu Dhabi’s largest international hotel guest source market with arrivals inching up two per cent to 113,508. India turned in a 32 per cent increase to 112,179 guests to place it second in Abu Dhabi’s hotel guest rankings. Germany came in third. Double-digit hotel guest growth has also been recorded in the first 10 months from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, The Philippines, Jordan, Syria, Pakistan, Italy, Oman, Qatar, China, Kuwait, Russia, Palestine, The Netherlands and Ireland, the figures showed. From Gulf Today