Abu Dhabi has recorded its most successful year ever in terms
of hotel guest arrivals with some 2,111,611 people staying in the
emirate’s hotels and hotel apartments – beating its 2011 stretch target
of 2 million by 6.5% or over 100,000 guests.
The highly encouraging result in a year which has seen
substantial additions to Abu Dhabi’s hotel and resort inventory,
including several five-star beach properties opening up Saadiyat Island
to guests, leaves the emirate well placed to build for 2102.
Annual growth was recorded across a number of key metrics
including: guest nights, which were up 22% to 6.3 million; occupancy
levels which rose 7% to 69%; revenue, which rose 3% to AED 4.375 billion
(US $ 1.2 billion) and length of stay which expanded 5% to 2.97 nights.
Room revenue increased by 2% to AED2.3 billion (US $631 million),
though the average room rate slipped by 14% to AED 490 (US $133), while
food and beverage revenue increased by 6% to AED1.605 billion (US
$434.721 million).