Abu Dhabi hotel revenues see 1% in Q1 

(MENAFN) An official report showed that Abu Dhabi's hotel revenues grew one percent during the first quarter of 2012, Arabian Business reported.

Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority said that hotel revenues topped USD362 million, while average room rates fell 6 percent, as more supply came to market.

According to the official data, 594,918 guests stayed in the emirate's 130 hotels and hotel apartments in the first quarter, a 17 percent increase from a year earlier.

Guest nights over the same three-month period stood at 1.725 million, a 10 percent increase year-on-year.

Guest arrivals growth was recorded across all key regional markets with the exception of North America.

Domestic tourism grew 11 percent to 212,597 guests from a year earlier, delivering 401,347 guest nights.

Guests from the GCC also grew 57 percent, compared qith the same period a year earlier.

Hotel guest growth from Asia was up 37 percent, driven largely by increased traction from China, the figures also showed.

The UK remained the top source of hotel guests in Abu Dhabi, despite a 2 percent fall to 37,095, delivering 159,216 guest nights.

India ranked second, with a 15 percent increase to 31,564 hotel guests and delivering 112,681 guest nights.