Dubai: Hotels in the UAE recorded 76.3 per cent occupancy last December compared to the corresponding time in 2012, reflecting a buoyant hospitality industry, according to data compiled by STR Global, a hotel research firm.

Occupancy in the UAE grew by 2.9 per cent in December compared to the same period a year ago, the data showed.

Average daily rate (ADR — a benchmark for performance) in the country touched Dh862.59, up 4.9 per cent, which resulted in revenue per available room (RevPAR) reaching Dh657.88, representing a 7.8 per cent gain.

In Dubai, occupancy grew by 1.7 per cent to 80 per cent. ADR was up 7.7 per cent to Dh1,063.32, resulting in 9.5 per cent increase in RevPAR to Dh850.50, according to STR Global.

“Commercial and corporate [activities], as well as meetings and events, benefit hotels in Dubai,” Philip Wooller, area director of STR Global for the Middle East and Africa, told Gulf News.

However, according to a HotStats report, published by TRI Hospitality Consulting, occupancy in the emirate dropped 4.5 per cent to 79.5 per cent last December compared to the same time in 2012. Average room rates were up 9.1 per cent to $368.22 (Dh1,351.37), which resulted in RevPAR growth of 3.2 per cent to $292.70.

“Occupancy levels in December 2013 were marginally lower than December 2012, which is attributed to an increase in supply compared to the same period last year; however average rates were maintained by the minimum stay agreements imposed by hotels during the festive season,” Peter Goddard, managing director of TRI Hospitality Consulting, said in a statement.

Regionally

Wooller expects occupancy rates in Dubai to be “between 81 and 82 per cent” in January.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia recorded an occupancy rate of 61.4 per cent in December compared to the same time in the previous year, representing an increase of 12.9 per cent, while RevPAR touched 488.68 Saudi riyals, up 17 per cent, according to STR Global data.

Regionally, results for the month were mixed. According to Wooller, most of the Levant region, such as Lebanon, Jordan and Syria remain volatile.

Hotels in the Middle East and Africa region posted an occupancy rate of 59.5 per cent, up 3 per cent, while ADR touched $180.65, representing 4.2 per cent growth, leading RevPAR to reach $107.44, up 7.3 per cent, STR Global data showed.

In Amman, Jordan, occupancy grew by 15.6 per cent to 56.9 per cent.

Meanwhile in Cairo, occupancy fell 15.6 per cent to 35.1 per cent.