Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi’s 149 hotels and hotel apartments saw a 33 per cent jump in guest numbers last February compared to February 2013. Occupancy rates reached 81 per cent, a four per cent rise on 2013.

Figures released on Monday by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA) show that 262,193 guests checked into the emirate’s accommodation during February, resulting in a 21 per cent month-on-month increase in guest nights to 815,718.

Jasem Al Darmaki, deputy director general at TCA, attributed the growth in numbers to the busy February calendar, which saw various events in Abu Dhabi including gourmet, cultural, business-to-business, entertainment, and sports events.

“We are encouraged by the growth in occupancy levels, and are focusing on increasing the average length of stay, which currently stands at just over three nights, and on building the average room rate,” Al Darmaki said.

The greatest growth performance in the overseas guest market in the first two months came from China, which is now the emirate’s largest overseas source market. Around 22,577 Chinese checked into the emirate’s hotels in the first two months of the year — a 182 per cent increase on the same period last year. The guests delivered 33,779 guest nights — a 120 per cent year-on-year increase.

“This would appear to be a result of a wave of arrivals to spend Chinese New Year in the emirate where hotels and shopping malls and Al Maryah Island laid on specific celebratory events and products,” Al Darmaki said.

 

Unique key destinations

Christopher Hewett, senior consultant at TRI Hospitality Consulting, noted that there is an overall increase in travel movements by China’s middle class who choose to visit unique key destinations like Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The largest overseas guest market in the first two months was the UK as around 32,428 Britons checked into the emirate’s accommodation, representing a 31 per cent increase.

India was the second largest international source market as nearly 31,712 Indians checked into Abu Dhabi’s hotels, representing a 36 per cent rise.

Abu Dhabi’s average room rate currently stands at around Dh453.

According to TCA, the emirate welcomed 539,163 hotel guests during the first two months of 2014. The figure marks a 35 per cent uplift on January and February 2013. Guest nights for the same period rose 23 per cent to 1.67 million, while occupancy levels rose by seven per cent to reach 79 per cent.

The guests resulted in a 10 per cent increase in hotel revenues bringing the figure to Dh1,026 billion. Food and beverage income was also up 13 per cent to reach almost Dh383 million. Average room rate over the period dropped nine per cent to Dh458.

Domestic tourism in the first two months of this year grew by 30 per cent, with 166,430 Emiratis staying in Abu Dhabi’s hotels, and accounting for 392,946 guest nights — a 32 per cent year-on-year increase.