The Mena region’s hospitality industry witnessed significant growth across key performance indicators (KPI’s) in November 2014, as the market entered the region’s peak winter and tourism season,a recent survey indicated.

Dubai’s hospitality market saw a slight drop in revenue per available room (RevPAR) performance when compared to November 2013. Despite new hotels continually opening, occupancy dropped slightly by 1.4 per cent in November 2014 compared to the same period last year. Hotels across Dubai also recorded a decrease in RevPAR from $287 in November 2013 to $265 this year due to this drop in occupancy.

However, Abu Dhabi’s hospitality market witnessed an increase in market performance in November 2014, with an increase in RevPAR of 3.4 per cent compared to November 2013. This was largely due to the increase in average daily rate (ADR) from $262 in November 2013 to $273 in November 2014. This can be attributed to the number of tourists in the city attending the 2014 Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) that takes place annually.

In the wider Mena region, the hospitality markets in Manama (Bahrain), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Doha (Qatar), Cairo (Egypt) and Beirut (Lebanon) witnessed positive increases in November 2014, the report showed.

In November 2014, Manama’s hospitality market witnessed an increase in occupancy from 47 per cent in November 2013 to 57 per cent in November 2014. The increase in occupancy was attributed to the Jewellery Arabia event - the only international trade show dedicated to fashion jewellery and one of the largest and most prestigious jewellery exhibitions in the region.

In Riyadh, overall occupancy rates increased significantly from 51 per cent in November 2013 to 80 per cent in November 2014, an increase of 29 per cent. The capital also saw a considerable increase in RevPAR, by 53.5 per cent.

Doha’s hospitality market also saw increases in November 2014, with overall occupancy reaching 82 per cent, an increase of 7 per cent compared with November 2013. In addition, Doha’s RevPAR also increased significantly, by 23.2 per cent.

Cairo’s hospitality market continued to see strong growth, with average occupancy increasing from 24 per cent in November 2013 to 40 per cent in November 2014. The increase in occupancy was coupled with a jump in ADR from $70 in November 2013 to $95 in November 2014, resulting in a rise in RevPAR by 117 per cent in November 2014 when compared to November 2013. These increases can be attributed to the ongoing efforts from the government in recuperating tourism in Egypt, with Egyptian ambassadors worldwide cooperating with officials and media to promote enhanced tourism.

In Beirut, the hospitality market continued its positive trend, with average occupancy increasing from 47 per cent in November 2013 to 51 per cent in November 2014. ADR also dropped from $163 in November 2013 to $160 in November 2014.

The Mena region’s hospitality market continued to strengthen in November 2014 as the winter months consistently attracted an increased number of tourists. The growth is predicted to continue into 2015, the report said. - TradeArabia News Service