The number of UK guests staying in hotels in Abu Dhabi rose by 15% in the first 10 months of the year.
The UK remains the emirate’s second-largest overseas market with 130,038 Britons checking into hotels in the January-October period, up by 15% on the first 10 months of 2012.
Britons accounted for 604,965 guest nights – an increase of 24% year on year – with an average length of stay of 4.65 nights, up 8%.
A total of more than 2.2 million guests checked into Abu Dhabi’s 148 hotels and hotel apartments in the period, according to figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.
Guest nights achieved from January–October came in at 882,470, up 31% year on year as occupancy rose 10% to 79%.
The emirate saw record numbers of visitors in October, which showed 16% growth on the same month last year.
October saw 288,268 guest arrivals – a 29% increase on the same month last year.
Authority director general Mubarak Al Muhairi said: “The best news yet is that the average room rate has risen 7% to £84, which still represents terrific value given the high standard of accommodation and service offered in the destination.
“The uplift is even better when judged in context of the fact that we have 12 more hotels and an additional 2,187 rooms available than at this time last year.”
He added: “We can look forward with quiet optimism to a year-end of similar, if not better performance given that November had a number of event highlights, not least the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and December should benefit from the traditional National Day and seasonal breaks and increased overseas product packaging.
“We have positive sentiment for end-of-year results given that we are within comfortable reach of our 2.5 million guest target.
“People are staying longer in the emirate which is a key feature of our promotions and marketing thrust. There is far more to see and do in Abu Dhabi and we want guests to experience as much as possible,” said Al Muhairi.