Abu Dhabi enjoys tourism growth as hotel guests rise
Abu Dhabi’s tourism market continues to expand, with the number of hotel guests staying in the emirate increasing by 4.9% during the first five months of 2018 compared to the same period last year.
According to statistics from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), 162 hotels, resorts and hotel apartments offering 31,236 rooms across the emirate welcomed 2,073,586 guests during January to May..
Occupancy rate has averaged 75% during the same period (January to May), with a 1.4% increase, while the average length of stay was 2.7 nights, an increase of 2.4% compared to the same period in 2017, with China topping the number of visitors, recording 192,500 visitors, an increase of 19.9%.
India came in second with 166,700 guests and a 22.2% increase, followed by the UK with 119,900 amounting to a 12.7% increase, the United States with 82,300 guests and a 25.7% increase, and Germany with 71,300 guests at a 20% increase.
Abu Dhabi continued its outstanding performance across most of its target markets in May 2018, compared to the same month of last year, with a 7% growth in the number of visitors from India, followed by the UK at 7.9%, the US at 42% and Germany at 35%.
A variety of attractions are helping Abu Dhabi become a leading global destination
Domestic tourism rose by 7.9% during the first five months of 2018 with 1,489,154 hotel guests received, compared to 1,371,327 during the same period in 2017.
Growth indicators included the three regions of the emirate, with an 8.6% increase in Al Dhafra at a total of 63,471 guests, 5.3% in Abu Dhabi with 1,833,348 guests received and 1% in Al Ain with 176,767 guests.
HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “These results are very encouraging, and demonstrate steady growth. They also prove Abu Dhabi’s ability to realise its strategic goals of positioning the emirate as a leading global destination, through forward-looking marketing and promotional campaigns that seek to sustain growth. ”
“We continue to promote awareness of Abu Dhabi’s tourism and leisure attractions and authentic cultural heritage, as well as its highly-developed business and convention infrastructure.”
