Aldar Properties, a leading property development, investment and management company in Abu Dhabi, UAE, said revenues from its hotel portfolio reached Dh283 million ($77.03 million) for the first six months of 2014, an increase of 13.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2013.

The average occupancy rates at the end of June 2014 stood at 82 per cent versus 78 per cent during the same period in 2013.

This strong performance reflects a substantial increase in leisure and corporate visitors to Abu Dhabi, particularly to Yas Island, Abu Dhabi’s premier leisure and entertainment destination, said the company.

In addition, food and beverage (F&B) revenues across the portfolio, 35 units in total, were up 11.4 per cent in the first six months of 2014 reaching Dh113.9 million from Dh102.2 million during the same period last year.

Key components to this growth were corporate meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE), and leisure segments that made up 60 per cent of rooms occupied.

The top five feeder markets across the portfolio were guests from the GCC, India, Germany, the UK and China.

These results reaffirm the recent research published by Abu Dhabi’s Destination Visitor Survey that reported that the emirate is experiencing a surge in leisure tourists, who last year comprised 71 per cent of visitors, up from 40 per cent in 2011 when the last survey was conducted, Aldar said.

Aldar currently owns and manages nine hotels across the UAE, seven of which are located on Yas Island.

Aldar will be overseeing the opening of the 195-key Courtyard by Marriott in the WTC Abu Dhabi development towards the end of the year. This is part of an overall divisional growth which could potentially see the addition of 1,000 room keys and unique leisure developments in the portfolio in the next few years, the company said.

Talal Al Dhiyebi, executive director of asset management at Aldar Properties, said: “Aldar owns and operates one of the largest hospitality and leisure portfolios in Abu Dhabi, enhancing the emirate’s position as a leading entertainment and leisure destination. Our first-class facilities that meet the demands of a broad range of leisure visitors have driven year-on-year occupancy increases. We are also witnessing high demand from corporates with bulk bookings for conferences and events. Demand growth within the hotel market has coincided with strong tourism figures as a result of the growing attractions that are on offer throughout Abu Dhabi such as the award-winning Yas links golf course."

“With the opening of the Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi’s first super regional mall, in November 2014, Yas Island will continue its evolution towards becoming the region’s leading leisure and entertainment destination,” added Al Dhiyebi. - TradeArabia News Service