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A stellar performance by Abu Dhabi’s hotels and hotel apartments last month has taken the destination, recently dubbed “arguably the world’s most exciting new tourism hotspot” by Britain’s influential Travel Weekly UK magazine, within a whisker of its 1.65 million hotel guests target for this year.
November results released by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) show a 27% increase in hotel guests compared to the same month last year with some 169,001 staying in the emirate. Guest nights surged by 42% compared to the same month last year to 544,753. This made November the second highest performing month this year after February.
Occupancy levels rose by 18% to 77%, average length of stay increased from 2.88 nights to 3.2, while monthly revenue climbed by 24% to AED 509 million (US $139.4 million) – the first such growth recorded over the past 11 months.
November’s results took Abu Dhabi’s hotel guest performance for the first 11 months of 2011 to 1,646,799 coupled with a 17% increase in guest nights to 4.6 million.
“There is no doubt that the staging of the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and it being the finale to the season, had a strong positive influence on November’s hotel statistics,” said Lawrence Franklin, Strategy & Policy Director, ADTA. “The impact of the Grand Prix, the recently opened Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and the Yas Island Show Weekends, mean it is now certain that we will surpass our annual target.”
Domestic tourism for November grew 19%, while North America proved a strong market growing by 48% in hotel guests. Europe recorded double digit growth of 29% for the first time this year with particularly stunning growth from the UK, which increased by 62%, Germany (24%) and France (8%) - all strong F1 markets.
“Room revenue in November achieved growth of 24% of the back of increased numbers of guests and strong room rates. Average room rate growth slowed by only -6% year-on-year as compared to an average of -26% for the rest of the year,” said Franklin. “F&B revenues meanwhile notched up their highest growth this year, achieving a 30% increase.”
The UK remains Abu Dhabi’s top performing overseas market delivering some 108,554 British hotel guests to the emirate in the first 11 months of this year and accounting for some 483,091 guest nights. China has also crept into the emirate’s top 20 overseas market rankings lying in 19th place with some 13,586 guests staying in Abu Dhabi this year – a 27% rise on last year –accounting for some 34,691 guest nights.
“As we head into 2011 we are well placed to build on this maturing performance and to solidify gains with even more destination product, promotion and a regular major events portfolio,” added Franklin.
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