Dubai: The Empty Quarter won’t be so empty over the next few months. Tourist numbers are expected to rise in the world’s largest sand desert as temperatures cool.
Hotels in the area are likely to see higher occupancy levels and room rates continue into April after experiencing a slump in demand during the hot summer months, industry experts said.
Christmas and New Year are also expected to help boost hotel occupancy, according to Husam Malki, Resident Manager at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara.
“The end of year festive season is extremely busy, [with] Christmas [and] New Year’s Eve, and that’s when we see our rates and occupancy reaching peaks,” he said in an emailed statement.
During the week, desert hotels’ occupancy rates reach around 65 per cent but jump to almost 80 per cent during the weekend as UAE residents escape the bustling city and head to a more tranquil destination, according to Philip Wooller, area director for the Middle East and Africa at research firm STR Global.
While most of the guests in the Empty Quarter’s hotels are UAE residents, they also attract visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and international markets, such as the UK, Germany and France.
The average length of stay of desert hotels is one to two nights, according to Chiheb Ben Mahmoud, executive vice president and head of hotels and hospitality for the Middle East and Africa at JLL, a real estate consultancy.
“The challenge of desert hotels is to provide an experience proposition. Short of achieving this, these hotels remain just a home base accommodation for day excursions, with overall lengths of stay limited to one or two nights,” he said.
Leisure travellers account for the majority of desert hotels’ guests.
“We mainly attract leisure travellers due to the extensive recreational facilities available at the resort, [such as] the desert activities, pool [and] spa, but also cater to business travellers [with] team building activities, product launches [and] company events,” sated Malki.
Leisure guests contributed almost 35-40 per cent of Tilal Liwa Hotel’s turnover year-to-date, according to the property’s general manager, Khaled Sharabassy.
The hotel has also attracted “corporate and government business,” he said.
“2014 has been a very strong year for us. There are a lot of new projects between Mussafah and Ruwais. Demand [from visitors] and the projects are driving occupancy levels,” he said.
According to him, Tilal Liwa’s occupancy rate reached 85 per cent year-to-date from 70 per cent during the corresponding time in 2013, while average room rates grew from Dh535 to Dh625 during the same period. As a result, revenue per available room rose from Dh375 to Dh525 year-to-date.
On Thursday and Friday, the hotel’s occupancy rate touches around 85-90 per cent, he said.
