Abu Dhabi hotel occupancy may slow down in Ramadan | khaleejtimes.com
January-May recorded 22% yearly jump to 4.37 million guests
After record occupancy levels in the first five months of the year, hotels in Abu Dhabi are expecting a bit lower occupancy in holy month of Ramadan. The number of hotel guests checking into Abu Dhabi’s 155 hotels and hotel apartments reached a five-month high from January to May this year with occupancy touching 78 per cent — an eight per cent lift on the same period in 2013.
James Wilson, general manager of Millenium Hotel Abu Dhabi said that with the rise in competition and holy month of Ramadan falling in July, when people go on annual vocations mean occupancy levels will be little down by two per cent year-on-year. However, the drop will be compensated with the Eid-Al-Fitr.
He was confident that the holy month will bring more dinning business and bumper revenues for restaurants, as usual.
Figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) show that in the first five months of this year 1.43 million guests stayed in the hotels, a 30 per cent year-on-year increase.The January-May guest tally translated into 4.37 million guest nights, up 22 per cent year-on-year. Hotel revenues rose 14 per cent to Dh2.675 billion with food & beverage income climbing 12 per cent to just over Dh1 billion. “Overall the performance makes for good reading though there are two areas of concern – the average-length-of-stay and the average room rate, both of which have dipped on 2013,” explained Jasem Al Darmaki, deputy director general, TCA Abu Dhabi.
“There is increased and enhanced product now coming into the market to give people more compelling reasons both to visit and to stay longer,” explained Darmaki. “And the average room rate now represents exceptional consumer value.”
The Jan-May period have seen 30 per cent growth in domestic guests coming into Abu Dhabi. Internationally India is now the top performing market for the emirate. From January-May, 89,761 Indians checked into Abu Dhabi hotels, which was up 38 per cent year-on-year. The UK is the second most productive market with a 28 per cent year-on-year rise. In percentage terms China, which is now the emirate’s fourth most productive overseas source market, delivered the biggest increases. Some 52,392 Chinese stayed in Abu Dhabi from January-May, which was a jump of 204 per cent.
“We are poised to achieve our 2014 guest arrivals target of 3.2 million and anticipate increased business from Australia and Italy with Etihad Airways’ planned launch, this July, of new routes from Perth and Rome,” added Al Darmaki.
