ABU DHABI SEES FURTHER GROWTH IN HOTEL GUESTS FOLLOWING

Following a record-breaking year for hotel guests in Abu Dhabi, the emirate has recorded impressive growth in the first two months of 2017, seeing a 5.5% rise in hotel guests.

According to figures from Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), 749,650 hotel guests have checked into the emirate’s 170 hotels and hotel apartments in January and February – an increase of more than 40,000 guests over the corresponding period last year.

More than 4.4 million hotel guests were recorded in the emirate over the course of 2016, which was an 8% increase over 2015. Statistics across guest nights, average length of stay and revenues also offered strong results, with 12,031,628 guest nights recorded.

HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “The first two months of this year has seen our key overseas markets continue to perform well, and we remain committed to expanding our outstanding tourism and cultural assets. With our year-round programme of events, we plan to gain further growth across the tourism sector and achieve our target of reaching 4.9 million hotel guests throughout the course of this year.”

January saw particularly strong figures, with an 8% increase year-on-year in guest arrivals with the top five visitor source markets - the UAE, India, UK, China and Saudi Arabia – continuing to post impressive figures. Al Dhafra Region (formerly known as the Western Region), and Al Ain Region (formerly known as the Eastern Region) continued to post significant length of stay.

February witnessed a 4% rise in guest arrivals in comparison to February 2016, and an increase of 3% in hotel guest nights with the leading international source markets, China, India, UK and USA . Revenue per available room also rose by 9% while the average room rate rose 10% to AED 451.

TCA Abu Dhabi is spearheading numerous delegations to international travel trade events throughout the year to bolster visitor and guest arrivals. Already this year the Authority has led a delegation of the emirate’s leading hotels, attractions, destination management companies and tour operators to ITB Berlin in Germany, with trips to China and Saudi Arabia also taking place imminently.

In April, the Authority will also be leading a large portfolio of companies to the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai to harness more inbound tourism.

Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, a division of TCA Abu Dhabi, has made significant strides in attracting business into the emirate by leading and supporting bids to host a number of key conferences, further boosting guest arrivals.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Confirmed for the emirate this year are World Skills – the world’s largest vocational skills competition – which is set to take place in October in Abu Dhabi with 7,000 young participants from 76 countries.

In December, up to 15,000 members of the global diabetes community will meet in the emirate to take part in the International Diabetes Federation 2017 Congress. More than 200 speakers, both world-renowned and newcomers, 230 national diabetes associations from 170 countries and high level participation from the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and other health organisations will be in attendance.

Ghobash added: “Hotels in Abu Dhabi still offer excellent value for money given the quality of services on offer in the regional hospitality sector. With ongoing emphasis on our tier-one markets, and the return of annual events such as Mother of the Nation festival, Abu Dhabi Summer Season, and Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, we are confident that visitors will continue to choose Abu Dhabi to experience an extraordinary destination throughout the rest of the year.”

TCA Abu Dhabi will also be focusing on the roll-out of its international destination campaign, launched at the end of last year, with particular emphasis on its priority markets of KSA, China, India, UK and Germany by utilising the support of its 11 overseas offices, and also focusing on inbound domestic guests.

The Authority will also highlight the numerous prestigious events already held this year such as the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, the Abu Dhabi Tour and forthcoming events such as Abu Dhabi Art and Abu Dhabi Summer Season to increase awareness about the destination.