Abu Dhabi raises tourist target after increase in Chinese and ‘staycationers’

About 1.3 million guests checked into the emirate’s 161 hotels and hotel apartments in the first four months of the year.

Abu Dhabi tourism chiefs have raised their annual visitor target by more than 11 per cent to 3.9 million after a sharp rise in the number of Chinese arrivals and “staycationers” from other emirates.

Guest arrivals increased 20 per cent in the first four months of the year according to the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).

About 1.3 million guests checked into the emirate’s 161 hotels and hotel apartments over the period, it said.

They stayed for 2.84 nights on average, a rise of 11 per cent year on year. The previous target of 3.5 million guests was announced earlier this year.

Domestic tourism accounted for the biggest share with 44 per cent of the total. Guests from other emirates stayed for an average of 2.27 nights, a rise of 20 per cent year on year.

Hotel occupancy was at 79 per cent, and revenues grew 12 per cent to Dh2.431 billion. Room revenues increased by 16 per cent, while food and beverage sales grew by 3 per cent.

The largest source markets were the UK, India, China, Germany and the US.

Arrivals from the UK gained 17 per cent to 80,673, followed by India, which recorded 16 per cent growth to account for 79,793 guests. Visitors from China surged 75 per cent to 79,713.

About 23 hotels, attractions and shopping malls signed up for the Welcome Chinese programme in partnership with China Tourism Academy in February. The programme is expected to promote attractions in the capital to Chinese tourists.

The tourism agency also expects growth from the US market this year following an increase in airline capacity pre-entry customs clearance, and greater destination awareness after Hollywood films such as the latest Fast and Furious and Star Wars franchises. The US accounted for 55,570 tourists, representing an increase of 34 per cent from a year earlier.

Passengers on Etihad flights to the US, which include Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York JFK, and Washington DC, are processed for US customs in Abu Dhabi.

In April, Abu Dhabi airport reported 1.87 million passengers, up by 15.5 per cent year on year, as Etihad and its partner airlines launched new routes across the globe. The top five destinations from the airport were London Heathrow, Bangkok, Manila, Doha and Mumbai.

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