India, Abu Dhabi's top overseas source market for hotel guests

DUBAI: India has emerged as Abu Dhabi's top overseas source market for hotel guests with nearly 93,000 Indians checking in this year, according to a study.


Some 92,529 Indians checked in this year, a 21 per cent increase over last year, according to figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.

UK and Germany took second and third position with 86,284 Britons and 67,968 Germans respectively, checking in at hotels, the study said.

For India, the guests delivered 3,82,913 guest nights - a 37 per cent lift over last year with an average-length-of-stay of 4.14 nights - an increase of 13 per cent.

The city's year-to-date hotel revenues rose 16 per cent to almost USD 81.5 million (3 billion dirhams) with food & beverage accounting for USD 32 million (1.17 billion dirhams).

TCA Abu Dhabi said that more guests have checked into Abu Dhabi's 146 hotels and hotel apartments in the first seven months of this year compared to any other comparative period.

The figures show that from January-July end, guest arrivals topped the 1.5 million mark - a 10 per cent increase on the same period last year.

In all, the arrivals delivered almost 4.8 million guest nights - up 23 per cent on 2012 with guests staying, on average 3.17 nights - which is a rise of 12 per cent on last year driving occupancy, up by 7 per cent to 68 per cent, it said in a statement released on UAE's official news agency Wam.

"These results make encouraging reading when viewed against the fact that hotel inventory in the emirate has grown from 137 properties and 23,613 rooms in 2012 to 146 offering 25,300 rooms this year," Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi, said.

"And with a final quarter ahead of us which is packed with major events including the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Art, the Seatrade Middle East Forum and the Al Ain Aerobatic Show, we could see the best results of the year yet to come."

The year-to-date figures show building annual momentum despite a lacklustre July performance which saw hotel guest arrivals in Abu Dhabi slip by 4 per cent on July 2012 to 170,887 and occupancy dip by 2 per cent to 54 per cent.

For the UK, 86,284 Britons this year checking in the emirate's hotels meant, a climb of 8 per cent on 2012.

They delivered 406,475 guest nights - up by a fifth on last year with the Britons staying, on average, 4.71 nights - an 11 per cent increase on 2012.

Germany had its citizens checking in at emirate's hotels, posting a 25 per cent increase over last year, delivering 322,128 guest nights, up by a third, with an average length of stay of 4.74 nights - 7 per cent more than in 2012.