Jeddah's five-star properties come out on top

Jeddah five-star hotels have taken first place in the Middle East hospitality sector, measured in terms of occupancy rates and dollars per room, according to a study by the Economic Research Unit at Lebanese bank Credit Libanais.

The study, released earlier this week and based on responses and data from 32 four-star and five-star hotels in Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Beirut and Cairo in June, shows Jeddah achieving an occupancy rate of 78.2%, followed by Beirut at 64.5%, Abu Dhabi at 60.9% and finally Cairo at 39.2%, the Saudi Gazette reported.

Cairo hotels fared the worst, due to recent political unrest — which is thought to have deterred the usual spate of European visitors to Egypt’s capital city.

In terms of dollars per room, the Middle East average in June 2011 stood at US $96, with Jeddah hotels showing a 36% positive revenue margin at $168, followed by Beirut at $136, Abu Dhabi at $79 and finally Cairo at $45.