Abu Dhabi has accelerated its growth in hotel guest arrivals during October with 418,883 guests checking into the emirate’s 163 hotels and hotel apartments, representing an 18 per cent increase over the same month last year.

The cumulative number of guest arrivals for the first ten months of 2017 has increased to reach more than 3.9 million, representing growth of 8 per cent on the year and keeping the emirate on track to surpass last year’s record total of 4.4 million, reported Emirates news agency Wam, citing the latest figures released by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, DCT.

October’s double-digit percentage growth in visitors from China (88 per cent), amounting to 32,000, underpinned by the lifting of visa restrictions at the beginning of the year, is still indicative of the benefits reaped from the department’s extensive marketing campaigns across the country including the new ‘Abu Dhabi Week in China’ initiative held recently in Shanghai.

The number of US arrivals saw a significant 80 per cent increase, reaching 18,000 guests. The tier one markets of UK and India also saw dramatic improvement, with an increase of 26 per cent and 22 per cent respectively.

Saif Saeed Ghobash, director-general of DCT, said, "Our sustained efforts in improving the worldwide appeal of Abu Dhabi to tourists for both business and leisure is continuing to reap rewards, with the latest figures for guest arrivals supporting our endeavours. Record numbers of people are staying in our expansive choice of accommodation across all three regions of the emirate and we aim to sustain and improve on this growth throughout Q4, traditionally our busiest time of the year."