Abu Dhabi has registered a 5 per cent growth in the number of guests staying in its hotels and hotel apartments during February, compared to the same month last year, said senior tourism officials, citing official report.
The guest nights also climbed 5 per cent during the same comparative period, according to figures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.
A total of 184,296 guests stayed in Abu Dhabi’s hotels and hotel apartments during last month accounting for 550,352 guest nights, it added.
The growth was maintained in part by Abu Dhabi’s hosting of the World Ophthalmology Congress 2012, the world’s longest running international medical convention and the largest business event ever staged in the UAE capital, which attracted in excess of 10,000 participants, said a senior official.
‘We envisage continued strong performance from Germany aided by the increasing Air Berlin access to Abu Dhabi,” said Mubarak Al Muhairi, the director general, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.
From March 23, Air Berlin will operate thrice-daily to Abu Dhabi International including daily, non-stop flights from Berlin and Dusseldorf.
According to him, February’s performance keeps the emirate’s hotel guest numbers growth on-track, with the first two months of this year being 16 per cent up on the same period last year to stand at 382,435, while guest nights rose 12 per cent to just over 1.1 million.
The UK, he said, remained Abu Dhabi’s largest international source market, accounting for some 21,960 guests and 105,274 guest nights in the first two months of this year 7 per cent and one per cent increases, respectively.
Germany climbed to second place in terms of guest numbers with some 16,867 guests and 69,159 guest nights to its credit – increases of 55 and 40 per cent, respectively.
Al Muhairi said India continued to be a high potential market for Abu Dhabi and now ranks as the emirate’s third largest international source market in terms of guest arrivals.
India produced some 15,725 guests and 72,893 guest nights in the first two months of this year registering a growth of 49 and 21 per cent respectively.
Performance from Saudi Arabia also continues to grow with some 10,461 guests from the Kingdom staying for 30,838 nights during the first two months of the year – up by 47 and 44 per cent, respectively.
