DUBAI: Hotels across the UAE are expecting to cash in on a near full occupancy this News Year’s Eve as residents from neighbouring emirates and tourists get ready to ring in 2017.
On an average, both luxury hotels and budget alternatives expect an occupancy level of around 90 per cent on December 31.
“We are expecting to close full occupancy during the New Year’s Eve like last year,” said Shaun Parsons, complex general manager at Dubai’s Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre & Le Meridien Fairway.
Parsons added that while Le Meridien primarily caters to business travellers, the hotel also gets a significant number of leisure travellers and holiday makers during the festive season. “The main source of our business is the UK, the US, Germany, France, GCC countries and the UAE. During public holidays and festive period we receive a lot of guests from neighbouring emirates predominantly from Abu Dhabi,” he said.
Rotana, the Abu Dhabi-based international hotel operator, too, is expecting near full status in most of its hotels by New Year’s weekend with visitors coming in mainly from other Gulf countries, the US, the UK, Germany and India.
“Over the last several years, New Year’s Eve occupancy has typically remained 25 per cent higher than the preceding weekend, and this year has been no exception,” said David Prince, area vice-president of Rotana Hotels.
In Abu Dhabi’s Western Region, the Tilal Liwa Hotel is also anticipating a full occupancy with visitors mainly expected to be citizens and expatriates from other emirates as well as tourists from other Gulf countries.
“The overall trend remains satisfying and the outlook for 2017 appears healthy despite the world travel industry’s diverse crisis,” said Khaled Sharabassy, general manager of Tilal Liwa Hotel.
Much like last year, room rates on the New Year’s Eve weekend at Tilal Liwa Hotel average at Dh1,500 and activities arranged include an assortment of desert adventures including desert cycling, sand boarding and kite flying.
Despite noting a relative decline, Al Ain also remains a popular destination for residents and expats in other emirates, where the four-star Danat Al Ain Resort currently sits at a 60 per cent occupancy rate but expects to be nearer full occupancy by New Year’s Eve, according to Kapil Dhall, Manager for Revenue Department at Danat Al Ain Resort. “We have seen a decline in occupancies compared to previous years but the room rates are still almost at par with last year,” he said, adding that “as always, UAE citizens, followed by Omanis and Saudis lead the list but we have also noted a marginal growth in expats living in the UAE.”
Budget hotels, such as the Golden Sands Hotel Apartments located in Bur Dubai, which have been feeling the impact of the economically slower year otherwise, are anticipating higher occupancy rates as the year comes to an end. “It has been a slower year for all but we are currently enjoying a 92 per cent occupancy rate and expect it to only go higher as the New Year’s Eve approaches,” said Mohammad Khouri, general manager of the Golden Sands Hotel Apartments.
So having gone through fluctuating occupancy levels most of this year, owing to a slowdown in global economic growth, hoteliers are cheering the higher occupancies as the year comes to a close as well pinning hopes on a stronger outlook for 2017.
The writer is an intern with Gulf News.
