Dubai hotels post 22% rise in revenue

Dubai: Dubai's hotel sector, the most vibrant in the Gulf, has recorded a 22 per cent growth in their revenues reaching Dh4.26 billion during the first quarter of the current year, up from Dh3.49 billion recorded during the corresponding quarter last year, Dubai's tourism regulatory body said yesterday.

The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), which regulates and licenses the tourism industry in Dubai, yesterday announced the first quarter report on the hotel establishments' performance.

The number of hotel and hotel apartment guests rose to 1.89 million in the first quarter this year compared to 1.76 million recorded in the corresponding quarter in 2007, showing an increase of seven per cent.

It is the highest guest increase percentage in the world.

Dubai has more than 450 hotel and serviced apartments while a large number of new hotels are being developed to cater to 15 million annual tourist flow by 2010.

According to Khalid Bin Sulayem, director-general of DTCM, the number of guest nights during this period registered an increase of 10 per cent at 6.067 million from 5.505 million in the corresponding period last year.

Guest nights

Hotels registered 8.2 per cent increase in the number of guest nights whereas the number of guest nights in the case of hotel apartments recorded 17 per cent increase during the corresponding period.

The average number of operating hotel and hotel apartments showed nine per cent increase during this period from 437 in the first quarter of 2007 to 475 this year.

Similarly the total rooms occupied showed 12 per cent increase at 31,450 over 28,203 recorded during the corresponding period last year.

The total hotel apartments available also indicated an upward trend at 12,046 showing an increase of 20 per cent during this period.