India tops overseas market for hotel guests in Abu Dhabi: Study

DUBAI: India has emerged as Abu Dhabi's top overseas source market for hotel guests with nearly 3,00,000 Indians checking in this year, according to a study.

Some 2,838,842 Indians checked in this year, a 33 per cent increase over last year, according to figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority ( TCA).

UK and Germany took second and third position with 22 per cent Britons and 11 per cent Germans respectively, checking in at hotels, the study said.

The city's year-to-date hotel revenues rose 14 per cent to almost USD 1.325 billion with room revenues accounting for $677 million (14 per cent) and food & beverage to $502 million (11 per cent).

TCA Abu Dhabi said that more guests have checked into Abu Dhabi's 156 hotels and hotel apartments in the first ten months of this year compared to any other comparative period.

The figures show that from January-October end, guest arrivals topped the 8.5 million mark - a 20 per cent increase on the same period last year.

"During October, guest arrivals were up 18 per cent year-on-year, guest nights rose 13 per cent while revenues lifted 4 per cent. This upward momentum is likely to continue during December because of events programmed by emirates and this year's guest arrivals target looks well within our means," said Jasim Al Darmaki, Acting Director General of TCA Abu Dhabi.

"The hotel performance will also improve because of increasing air links as direct service has been started between Vienna to Abu Dhabi thus opening up Austrian market," he said.