Dubai
hotel occupancy increases
Our Dubai Correspondent
Dubai
hospitality sector, which was hit the hardest as a result
of the global slowdown, seems to be getting back on its
feet. According to the latest data compiled by STR Global,
Dubai reported occupancy increase in January this year compared
to the same period last year.
The emirate was one of the top three destinations in the
Middle East and Africa to have witnessed an increase in
occupancy. “Amman, Jordan, reported the largest occupancy
increase, rising 7.1% to 44.1%, followed by Beirut, Lebanon
(+6.1% to 57.6%), and Dubai (+6.1% to 72.1%),” STR
report said. This came even as the overall Middle East/Africa
region reported decreases in all three key measurements
for January 2010.
The region’s occupancy in January fell 2.3% to 54.8%,
average daily rate decreased 1.9% to $170.20, and revenue
per available room decreased 4.1% to $93.23, showed the
STR data.
Occupancy decreased in Abu Dhabi by 27.1% to 56.5%); Muscat,
Oman, saw the rate coming down by 21.6% to 53.1%; and Johannesburg,
South Africa, showed a decline of 10.1% to 47.9%.
“The African sub-regions are the ones boosting the
overall results for the Middle East/Africa region, which
is partly due to exchange rates,” said Elizabeth Randall,
Managing Director of STR Global. “But the Middle East
still achieved the second highest RevPAR of all the world
sub regions at $120, surpassed only by the Caribbean with
$128.”
“Overall, the Middle East/ Africa region continues
to be one of two regions that still reports declines in
RevPAR”, Ms Randall said. Cape Town, South Africa (+49.0%
to $166.30); Johannesburg (+34.6% to $92.62); and Beirut
(+25.7% to $206.00), saw the ADR (average daily rate) increases
of around 25%. In the Middle East, Muscat led the ADR decreases,
falling 25.0% to $256.73, followed by Abu Dhabi with an
18.3-% decrease to $286.80. While Cape Town ended the month
with the largest RevPAR increase, jumping 46.0% to $98.58,
followed by Beirut with a 33.4-% increase to $118.76 Muscat
(-41.2% to $136.27) and Abu Dhabi (-40.5% to $162.02) reported
the largest RevPAR decreases.
