Abu Dhabi to get 2,400 new hotel rooms in 2016

2,400 new hotel rooms will open in Abu Dhabi throughout 2016, according to a new report.

The Abu Dhabi Hotel Market Summary report by JLL prepared ahead of The Hotel Show Dubai 2016 reveals that 200 rooms opened in Q2 2016 with the soft opening of the Four Seasons on Al Maryah Island in May, and an additional 2,200 rooms are forecast to be added to the market by the end of the year.

The Q2 report also predicts hotel room supply in Abu Dhabi is “expected to reach almost 26,000 rooms by the end of 2019”. Meanwhile, the YoY increase in tourism arrivals has continued, with an 11% increase in hotel guests for YT May 2016, compared to the same period to May 2015.

New hotel openings anticipated for the emirate by the close of 2016 include: Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl; Gloria Downtown Hotel; and Bab Al Qasr.

The 677-key Bab Al Qasr will open in Q3 2016. Francois Kassab, chief operating officer, Millennium & Copthorne Middle East and Africa commented: “Our first hotel in the region was in Abu Dhabi back in 2002 and as the emirate has grown so has our regional presence. With more than 27 properties in the region and three properties in the UAE capital, we are excited to be adding a flagship property to our UAE portfolio."

Kassab continued: “Abu Dhabi has seen an impressive growth in tourism, receiving 4.1 million tourists last year, up 18% on the previous year.”

Bab Al Qasr will be the first hotel to open as part of ‘The Biltmore Collection’, hotels described by Kassab as: “Historic urban gems and contemporary classics, each with its own unique story and designed to enhance every aspect of the guests experience by reflecting the location’s culture, history and geography in an authentic and meaningful way."

The group will be part of the discussion at fourth annual Vision Conference, part of the Hotel Show 2016, titled “The next frontier: a look at the new hotel brands entering the market”.