April was another strong month for hotels in Abu Dhabi, with double-digit year-on-year growth in occupancy levels, guest nights and revenues. However, there was a slip in the average length of stay.
According to figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), 304,637 people checked into the emirate’s 153 hotels and hotel apartments during the month, up 29%.
Guest nights rose 26% to 933,809 with occupancy levels rising 10% to 79% and revenues growing 23% to AED577 million (US $157 million).
During the month, the UK was the best performing overseas market for the destination with 19,010 British nationals checking in, up 34% year-on-year. They delivered 84,395 guest nights, which was up 24% and stayed, on average, 4.44 nights – down 7%.
Indians were the next largest buyers of Abu Dhabi accommodation with 18,790 checking into the emirate’s hotels – 35% more than the same month last year. They accounted for 70,835 guest nights, which is up 24% on last year and they stayed, on average 3.77 nights.
“April was a month when we benefitted greatly from the seventh season playoffs of the IPL tournament with many of the games being held in Abu Dhabi and attracting significant audiences from the domestic and Indian markets,” said TCA Abu Dhabi deputy director general HE Jasem Al Darmaki.
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There was also impressive growth in visitor number from China, with 13,501 people staying in the emirate’s accommodation, up 309%. TCA Abu Dhabi said this was directly accountable to the NU SKIN mega incentives which brought more than 6,000 guests to hotels in the emirate.
Total guest nights from Chinese customers quadrupled to 33,505, while the average length of stay was 2.48 nights.
One key indicator where the emirate did not fare so well was on the average length of stay, which was down 2% to 3.07 nights.
“We are working on initiatives to encourage more products into the market and to step up the international trade and consumer awareness of the destination and its breadth of offering,” said Al Darmaki.
TCA Abu Dhabi believes the emirate remains on course for its 3.2 million hotel guest target this year; with 1.14 million guests by the end of April, it is already up 31% on where it was at the same point in 2013.
Guest nights have risen 23% to 3.51 million, while occupancy is up 8% to 79% and total revenues have increased 14% to AED2.16 billion (US $588.7 million). However, the average length of stay has dropped 6% to 3.08 nights.
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