Dubai achieves world-leading hotel occupancy rates in H1 2022
The average occupancy for the hotel sector between January and June 2022 stood at 74%, compared to 62% in H1 2021
According to the latest data from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai attracted 7.12m international overnight visitors between January and June 2022 (H1) – achieving more than 183% growth compared to the 2.52m tourists who visited Dubai during the same period in 2021.
“The vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the city of the future and the world’s best place to live, work and invest in has resulted in a resurgence of Dubai’s tourism sector. The growth in tourists reflects the resilience and dynamism of the emirate’s economy. His Highness’s vision has helped Dubai create a strong and stable economic foundation and a dynamic business ecosystem, enabling it to become a leading global hub for diverse sectors,” remarked Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
In July 2022, the Select Group acquired The Mere Golf Resort & Spa in the UK and, later in the month, SAAS Properties inked a deal with hospitality firm Sonder Holdings to operate 401 units in its Business Bay tower.
The increase in visitor levels is said to have resulted in the emirate enjoying one of the world’s highest hotel occupancy levels, with stellar metrics during the first half of the year. The average occupancy for the hotel sector between January and June 2022 stood at 74%, compared to 62% in H1 2021, a difference of 12 percentage points – and just short of the 76% occupancy level registered during the pre-pandemic period of H1 2019.
In terms of who is visiting, Western Europe accounted for a significant share of tourist arrivals, comprising 22% of total international visitors in the first six months of 2022. MENA and GCC tourists continued to make an impact, collectively contributing 34% of total international visitors, showing Dubai’s appeal to visitors from surrounding markets as a trusted and preferred destination. These regions were followed closely by South Asia with a share of 16% and Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe together accounting for 11% of total visitors.
In August, CBRE said that it had advised Aldar Properties on a $221mn RAK resort acquisition deal.
