The UAE has avoided the public protests that have swept across the Arab world, confirming its status as a safe haven
Dubai hotels reported occupancy rates of 90% and above during the Eid break as the city benefited from the unrest that has roiled traditional tourist spots such as Egypt and Tunisia.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts two beach hotels, Le Méridien Mina Seyahi and The Westin, said occupancy was 95% for the two days over Eid while the Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai saw highs of over 90%.
Rotana said occupancy at its thirteen hotels in the emirate topped 90%.
“A lot of it is down to the Arab unrest; people don’t want to go to places where they are likely to be involved in hassle. The main purpose is to get away, have a break, and relax with the families, particularly for GCC locals,” Leo Fewtrell, general manager of Dubai Travel & Tour Agents Group, told Arabian Business.
“What’s happened in the Middle East countries, such as Libya, Syria, Egypt, has minimised the travel options for a lot of GCC residents. Many UAE residents, expatriates and nationals alike, chose to holiday within the UAE for the Eid break,” said Naeem Darkazally, associate vice president for sales and revenue, UAE for Rotana.
“There was also a strong flow of business from the GCC, with an influx of guests from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar in particular,” he added.
The UAE, along with Qatar, has avoided the public protests that have swept the Arab world this year, confirming its reputation as a regional safe haven.
Ernst & Young said occupancy rates in Bahrain hotels dropped to 10 percent in March, compared with 60 percent a year earlier, as widespread political unrest hit tourist figures.
In Oman, hotel occupancy rates stood at 68 percent in March this year, down from 83 percent in March 2010.
Hotels in Dubai outperformed the Middle East significantly in June posting a 12 percent year-on-year rise in occupancy to 70 percent, according to data from Deloitte and STR Global.
Revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased 14 percent to $111 aided in part by the city’s reputation as a safe haven amid the Arab Spring revolts, said the two firms.
Tourism contributes about 25 percent to Dubai's economy.
The Rezidor Hotel Group, which operates the Radisson Blu and Park Inn, said the majority of its guests at its Media City hotel were from Abu Dhabi.
“[We] experienced higher than average occupancy rates in Dubai during Eid. This could be due to unrest in other parts of the region, with visitors from around the GCC deciding to visit Dubai rather than other traditionally popular destinations such as Egypt and Lebanon.” Neil Reddington, regional financial controller, said in a statement.
A string of “staycation” deals launched by Dubai hotels during the Eid break also helped boost occupancy during the Eid break. Dubai’s Meydan hotel was offering guests rooms for AED525 per night including beach access at Atlantis hotel and one session at a shooting simulator while every Hilton hotel in the UAE offered 40 percent off stays in August.
Dubai has more hotels under construction than any other city in the world. A report from tophotelprojects.com shows that the emirate has 97 hotels under development, amounting to 35, 124 rooms.
Abu Dhabi is second on the list, with 66 hotels and 21,572 rooms.
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