According to a recent report, tourism in Dubai will enjoy an even stronger performance not only in 2013, but for many years to come. In addition, the emirate is still among the ten most popular tourist destinations in the world.
The report was produced by HotStats, an independent company with expertise in the tourism, hotels and leisure sectors. The study focuses on the hotel industry in 2013 for the regions of MENA, Europe and the UK.
The research states that the hotel market in Dubai has marked a growth last year. That was due to higher number of tourists and stronger business confidence in the city, as well as its increasing popularity as a hub for regional events.
The report also explains the reason behind Dubai’s success in the hospitality industry. According to HotStats, the emirate combines business, leisure, conferencing, meetings, exhibition and incentives in the industry to attract more visitors. Although, all these spheres in the city’s hospitality sector are predicted to grow in 2013, leisure tourism in the City of Gold might register a fall. The study explains that this is because of the stabilized political security and stability in countries like Turkey, Egypt and Lebanon, which are generally seen as a leisure tourism spots.
Nevertheless, the growing airline industry and airport infrastructure in Dubai are expected to lure a record number of visitors. In 2012, the passenger traffic in the emirate reached more than 50 million. Over the next few years, this number may reach up to 75 million passengers after the airport in Dubai gets expanded.
The hospitality industry in the city also managed to increase the economic activity and the business optimism in the area. Many new projects were announced in Dubai, among which was also the Mohammed bin Rashid City, and the emirate is predicted to mark an extraordinary economic growth not only over the next months, but years too.
The market of 4- and 5-star hotels in Dubai witnessed a 2.4% rise in the room occupancy rate, reaching a total of nearly 80% for 2012. As a result, the revenue for available room of Dubai hotels increased by over 7% last year. In addition, that led to a 2.5% jump in the food and beverage market.
Hotstats’s report also informs that the hospitality industry in the United Arab Emirates, in general, performed really strong in 2012. The higher hotel demand was triggered by the Arab Spring which was seen in some neighboring countries.
The two top tourism markets in the UAE were Abu Dhabi and Dubai. However, Dubai was found to be more popular travel destination than the country’s capital. According to the study, that was mainly because the city hosts various festivals, events and exhibitions. Also, it offers better air connectivity and more hotel options than Abu Dhabi.
UAE’s capital, on the other hand, had difficulties maintaining the level of profits and revenues in its hospitality sector in 2012. The report informs that that was because of the fierce competition in the sector. Despite that, however, the International Defense Exhibition and some other events and conferences which took place in Abu Dhabi over the first months of 2013, managed to lure back many tourists to the emirate.
