Pace of the UAE’s tourism sector during the first quarter of this year surpasses that of 2019

Published on : Saturday, May 21, 2022

The growth pace of the UAE’s tourism sector during the first quarter of this year went past the growth rates witnessed not only in 2020 and 2021, but also during the same stage in 2019.

Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises and Chairman of the UAE Tourism Council, said that this highlight emphasizes the UAE’s competitiveness at both regional and global levels.

Considering the tourism figures for Q1 2022, the UAE’s hotel establishments attracted almost 6 million visitors who spent 25 million hotel nights, which is an increase of 10% compared to the same period in 2019. The average period of hotel guest stays reached 25% during the same period, increasing from 3 nights to 4 nights.

The occupancy rate of hotel enterprises in the UAE during this period witnessed 80% growth, which stands among the highest on a global level. Hotel establishments also brought in total revenue of AED11 billion with a 20% growth compared to the same period in 2019. The hotel sector restarted operations fully with around 200,000 hotel rooms.

The first quarter of this year saw renaissance and a strong rebound of inward tourism from foreign markets, with hotels in various emirates hosting practically 4 million international tourists. India, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Russia, and the US grabbed the top spot among the list of international tourists.