Abu Dhabi: The number of guests staying in Abu Dhabi 116 hotels and hotel apartments recorded a 19 per cent increase in the first quarter of this year, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) said on Monday.
The Authority’s accommodation sector census showed 462,173 hotel guests stayed in the emirate in the first three months of the year accounting for 1.25 million guest nights – a rise of nine per cent on the same period last year.
“We are on track to attain our year-end target of a 10 per cent increase in hotel guests to 1.65 million,” said Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA.
Domestic tourism saw a 25 per cent growth to 191,949 hotel guests. Abu Dhabi’s top five overseas markets were: the UK, with 19 per cent growth to 31,320 guests; the GCC which increased 29 per cent to account for 26,685 guests; the US, which accounted for 21,776 guests, a drop of 1 per cent; India, which rose 26 per cent to 18,463 guests; and Germany, which accounted for 16,467 guests but slipped back by 20 per cent compared to Q1 2009.
“These results have to be judged in light of Abu Dhabi’s growing accommodation inventory – which has gone to 17,600 rooms in the first quarter of this year, from just under 13,000 this time last year,” Al Muhairi said.
Average occupancy rates for Abu Dhabi’s accommodation providers in Q1 this year came in at 66 per cent - ahead of some major international tourism destinations including Madrid and Berlin, both of which rated 58 per cent, and Beijing at 54 per cent.
