Abu Dhabi hotels best H1 results

Abu Dhabi has recorded its best-ever, first-half hotel results with rises in all its key performance indicators including guest numbers, guest nights, occupancy, revenue and length-of-stay from January– June this year compared to the same period last year.

Year-to-date, hotel guests were up 11% to just over 1 million, guest nights increased 26% to over 3 million, occupancy rose 10% to 70%, revenue climbed 6% to Dh2.26 billion ($619 million) while average-length-of-stay expanded 13% to 2.97 nights.

“This is an impressive performance and one which bodes well for the destination achieving its stretch target of 2 million guests by the end of this year,” said Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which released the figures.

“Results have been assisted by the destination’s heightened competitiveness with average room rates falling by 15% in the first half compared to last year making Abu Dhabi a more affordable up-scale option than Sydney, Paris, New York or Tokyo.”
 
Sheikh Sultan says the second-half of the year could prove stellar for the destination despite the planned opening of a flurry of major hotel properties.

Some ten luxury, five-star resorts are due on stream in Abu Dhabi by the end of the year which will  heighten competition in some segments  though ADTA believes they will significantly add to the destination’s  appeal and expand its overall market reach.

Key properties to open are: the Westin Hotel & Spa, Abu Dhabi Golf Club; the Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara; the Hyatt Capital Gate, which borders Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec); the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island; the Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi, the luxury brand’s first foray into the Middle East; the ultra-luxurious St. Regis Saadiyat Resort and Residences, Saadiyat Island; the Jumeirah at Etihad Towers on the UAE capital’s sweeping Corniche and the Ritz Carlton Grand Canal Abu Dhabi, which overlooks a private marina.