(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Visitors from India have contributed greatly to the hotel industry in Abu Dhabi in the first six months of the year, according to the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Cultural Authority, or TCA Abu Dhabi, as the number of hotel guests surged 12 per cent year-on-year.
The arrival of Indians is attributed to, apart from business, Jet Airways' strategic decision of moving its Middle East hub to Abu Dhabi after its landmark tie-up with Etihad Airways.
Etihad has already given easy connections to South Asian passengers making Abu Dhabi an emerging transit hub in the region, sharing a big share of the market.
Some 80,179 Indian nationals stayed in Abu Dhabi's hotels from January until the end of June, accounting for 334,238 guest nights, which is up 43 per cent on 2012. They stayed an average of 4.17 nights, an increase of 17 per cent, the TCA Abu Dhabi said.
"We are benefitting from increased destination awareness in India following the opening a year ago of a dedicated promotions office there and also of increased air access from the country following Etihad Airways' equity stake in Jet Airways and the move by the Indian carrier of its Middle East hub to Abu Dhabi," TCA Abu Dhabi director-general Mubarak Al Muhairi said.
Despite the jump in hotel numbers, Abu Dhabi has reported a 12 per cent year-on-year rise in the number of guests staying in its 145 hotels and hotel apartments in the first half of this year.
Figures released by the TCA Abu Dhabi show that guests are staying longer, increasing occupancies and revenues. During the first half of 2013, some 1,333,339 guests checked into Abu Dhabi accommodations, delivering 4,226,604 guest nights, a rise of 25 per cent on 2012.
On average, the guests stayed 3.17 nights, which is up 12 per cent on last year, which translates into an occupancy rate of 71 per cent, up eight per cent on 2012.
"We're heading in the right direction and this heightened performance, despite significant increases in resort and hotel inventory, justifies our increased efforts in trade engagement and international marketing and promotion and the expanded product operators and investors have put into the destination," Al Muhairi said.
Ayman Ashor, general manager of Tilal Liwa Hotel in Medinat Zayed in the Western Region, agreed with the numbers. He said the resort's year-to-date performance in January-to-June is 70 per cent, which reflects the same market trend. "The growth is relatively a little higher than last year by two per cent," Ashor said.
"We anticipate the momentum building in the second half of the year which covers key happenings such as the Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Art, the Al Ain Aerobatics Show, a number of headline concerts on Yas Island and major sporting events including the Fifa U-17 World Cup and the Wake Park World Championship Finals," he added. Year-to-date hotel revenues rose 16 per cent to Dh2.7 billion despite a slight fall-off of three per cent in average room rate to Dh447. Food and beverage income continued to hold its own, climbing 15 per cent to Dh1 billion.
Abu Dhabi's strong performance was aided by a bumper June when guest arrivals rose 13 per cent, guest nights increased 22 per cent revenues shot up by 13 per cent, people stayed longer and occupancy increased by six per cent to 65 per cent. "We seem to be going someway to breaking the cycle of major business dips in summer," explained Al Muhairi. "And what's really encouraging is that guests are staying longer, which suggests our campaign to convince people that there's now much more to do and see in Abu Dhabi, is taking hold. We've broken through the three nights stay mark."
While domestic tourism continued to be the destination's largest single catchment, India snatched the top slot as the emirate's largest overseas source market toppling the UK into second place.
During the first six months 78,053 Britons stayed in the emirate's hotels, a nine per cent increase on last year, followed by Germans.
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