Dubai: The UAE has retained its position as the Fairmont's strongest market in the Mena region due to a boost in occupancy as leisure and business travellers divert their routes to the UAE to avoid the turmoil caused by the Arab Spring.

According to Kent Cooper, vice-president of regional hotel sales for the Middle East and Africa, the UAE has been Fairmont's strongest market this year which saw occupancy levels nearly reaching 2007 levels.

"It's surprising how quickly it came back. I would be happy getting back to 2007 levels in two years' time. What we're cautious about is how much of the boost is from the Arab Spring and how much is organic growth," said Cooper.

Safe haven

Raki Philips, area director of sales and marketing, said the UAE saw an average occupancy rate of 75 per cent this year, up from the average occupancy rate of 68 per cent.

"The Arab Spring has really benefited the UAE in the way that people look at it as a safe haven… Every single market has seen a decline this year with the exception of the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, three countries that haven't been affected by the Arab Spring. I don't see it changing, I just see it getting stronger," said Philips.

Cooper said even before the events of the Arab Spring their UAE properties were witnessing a 20 per cent increase in RevPAR (revenue per available room) last January. One immediate repercussion of the events in the Middle East was a rise in their short-term apartment occupancy.

According to Cooper there has also been good growth in Jeddah and Riyadh. "Makkah is a very stable market. It's also very seasonal. You go from 100 per cent to 10 per cent depending on the time of year," he said.

Fairmont has ten properties under operation in the Middle East and Africa. According to Rami Markazel, director of development, EMEA, Fairmont aims to open five to seven properties by 2016. Locations include Jaipur and Baku due to open in 2012, Kiev and Amman are both due to open in 2013.

"International growth is a key focus at Fairmont and I fully expect 2012 to be a busy year for us," said Jennifer Fox, president of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.