Abu Dhabi’s 149 hotels and hotel apartments saw a 33 per cent jump in guests last February compared to February 2013 with occupancy reaching 81 per cent marking a 4 per cent rise on 2013.

Figures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) show that 262,193 guests checked into the emirate’s accommodation during February delivering a 21 per cent month-on-month rise in guest nights to 815,718.

“February was rich with gourmet, cultural, B2B, entertainment and sporting events which appear to have contributed to this record month,” said Jasem Al Darmaki, deputy director general, TCA Abu Dhabi.

“We are encouraged by the growth in occupancy levels and are focusing on increasing the average-length-of-stay, which currently stands at just over three nights and on building the average room rate.”

Abu Dhabi’s average room rate is currently around Dh453 ($123).

February’s performance continues the stellar growth with which Abu Dhabi’s hospitality industry welcomed in 2014. In the first two months of the year, the emirate received 539,163 hotel guests which is a 35 per cent uplift on January and February 2013.

Guest nights for the comparative period rose 23 per cent to 1.67 million. Occupancy levels rose by 7 per cent to 79 per cent while hotel revenues rose by 10 per cent to Dh1,026 billion ($279.4 million). Food & beverage income was up 13 per cent to almost Dh383 million ($104.5 million). Average room rate over the period dropped 9 per cent to Dh458 ($125).

Domestic tourism in the first two months of this year grew by 30 per cent with 166,430 Emiratis staying in Abu Dhabi hotels accounting for 392,946 guest nights – which is a year-on-year increase of 32 per cent. They stayed, on average almost 2.4 nights.

The largest overseas guest market in the first two months was the UK with some 32,428 Britons checking into the emirate’s accommodation representing a 31 per cent increase. They delivered 136,333 guest nights, which was a rise of 15 per cent year-on-year and stayed, on average just over four nights.

India was the second largest international source market. Some 31,712 Indians checked into Abu Dhabi’s hotels representing a 36 per cent growth and accounting for 127,301 guest nights, which was a jump of 14 per cent. They too stayed just over four nights.

The most stellar growth performance, however, came from China which is now the emirate’s third largest overseas source market.

“This would appear to be a result of a wave of arrivals to spend the Chinese New Year in the emirate where hotels and shopping malls and Al Maryah Island laid on specific celebratory events and products,” said Al Darmaki. “It is a time of year we will focus on in the future.”

Some 22,577 Chinese checked into the emirate’s hotels in the first two months of the year – a whopping 182 per cent uplift on the same period last year. In all the Chinese arrivals delivered 33,779 guest nights, which was up 120 per cent year-on-year with them staying, on average, just short of two nights.

“Our focus now will be to convince our Chinese guests to stay longer and to experience the widening tourism product of Abu Dhabi city and its surrounds and the wider emirate,” added Al Darmaki. – TradeArabia News Service