Abu Dhabi hotels beat 2013 targets a month early

Soaring hotel bookings have seen Abu Dhabi reach its 2013 target a month early, with the total number of check-ins already surpassing 2.5m.

The number of nights stayed in a hotel or hotel apartment in the emirate has risen 26 percent this year to more than 7.9m and is expected to reach 8m by the end of December for the first time, according to figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority on Sunday.

Visitors also are staying longer, with the average number of nights increasing 8 percent to 3.14.

The emirate’s hotel occupancy rate has averaged 70 percent, up 9 percent on 2012. However, the average room rate has fallen by 1 percent to AED477.22 ($122) per night.

Despite the lower room rate, hotels have raked in AED5bn ($1.4bn) in revenues so far this year, 11 percent more than the same time last year.

Food and beverage income represented nearly AED1.9bn, increasing 19 percent.

November was a particularly bumper month for Abu Dhabi’s 149 hotels, with 260,810 guests checking in, up 26 percent, causing occupancy rates to lift 10 percent to a high 83 percent and revenue to soar 19 percent to $190.3m.

“This is great news which we were cautiously optimistic about given November was packed with events including the headline Grand Prix, the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, the FIFA Under 17 World Cup and Abu Dhabi Art,” TCA Abu Dhabi deputy director general Jasem Al Darmaki said.

“It’s all the more gratifying given that since last year the emirate has seen 12 more properties and almost 2,500 new rooms come on line.

“Length of stay – which is now touching 3.3 nights – continues its upward trend which suggests people are increasingly convinced of there being ever more to do and see here.”

The tourism authority said more UAE residents were visiting the capital, with the number of domestic tourists increasing 6 percent to 865,966, the number of nights stay rising 30 percent to more than 2m and the number of nights increasing to 2.31.

India remains the top overseas source market for 2013, with 157,594 Indian visitors, up 26 percent.

However, British and German visitors, who were the second and third top source markets, stayed in Abu Dhabi longer, averaging 4.67 and 4.86 nights, respectively, compared to 3.94 nights by Indians.

Al Darmaki said it was satisfying that the year’s targets had been achieved before figures from the festive month of December had been taken into account.

“As we enter December and look forward to significant returns from the festive and international holiday season, we can begin the New Year with a sense of satisfaction from targets achieved,” he said.

Increased flights to and from the capital planned for 2014 would see hotel occupancy rise even further next year, he said.