Tourism and airlines predict a record influx of visitors during the festive season. The demand for travel to the UAE is soaring, pushing hotel occupancy rates to the max….reports Asian Lite News
As festive seasons of Christmas and New Year approach, the world’s eyes turn to the UAE, now a magnet for tourists thanks to its diverse attractions. From luxurious hotels and mega-malls to bustling traditional markets, it offers something for everyone.
Tourism and airlines predict a record influx of visitors during the festive season. The demand for travel to the UAE is soaring, pushing hotel occupancy rates to the max.
“Wego,” a travel booking site, reports the UAE dominating Middle Eastern flight searches for the holidays. Over 300,000 searches for flights to the Emirates were recorded in early December.
Dubai International Airport (DXB) expects a massive surge in passenger traffic over the holidays. They’re pulling out all the stops to ensure a smooth travel experience for the estimated 4.4 million passengers arriving between December 15th and 31st, with an average daily flow of 258,000.
Etihad Airways anticipates carrying around 1.4 million passengers in December, bringing families together and creating memorable holiday journeys. They encourage travellers to soak up the festive spirit onboard throughout the season.
With the recent opening of Abu Dhabi’s new Terminal A, Etihad Airways welcomes guests with spacious check-in facilities, including the state-of-the-art biometric self-bag drop for all classes.
Every year, the UAE becomes a winter wonderland during Christmas and New Year, drawing millions. Major events across the country entice travellers of all ages.
Since mid-December, hotels in the UAE have seen occupancy rates skyrocket, surpassing 95%. On New Year’s Eve, some establishments expect to reach 100% capacity.
The UAE boasts diverse options in terms of hotel establishments that cater to their guests’ comfort and luxury needs, suitable for various budgets. Visitors to these hotels enjoy serene and relaxing atmospheres provided by beachfront hotels and resorts, while desert resorts offer a unique experience for safari enthusiasts that might not be available elsewhere in the world.
All Emirates in the country witness a series of tourist events, entertainment, and shows to celebrate New Year’s Eve and welcome 2024. The UAE has a tradition of astonishing the world with outstanding fireworks displays held at prominent tourist landmarks.
UAE’s Robust Performance in Tourism
The Central Bank of the UAE, in its quarterly economic review 2023, mentioned that the UAE has initiated the National Tourism Strategy 2031, part of the “Projects of the 50” aiming to establish itself as a top global tourism destination by 2031. The plan targets to raise the tourism sector contribution to GDP by AED 450 billion in addition to attracting investments worth AED 100 billion and hosting 40 million hotel guests annually by 2031.
In the first eight months of 2023, the Abu Dhabi’s hospitality sector performed strongly. The total number of hotel guests increased to 3.2 million, a 31 percent rise compared to the previous year. Hotel occupancy rates were at 70 percent, with guests staying an average of 2.6 nights.
The CBUAE report stated the first three quarters of 2023 data indicate that Dubai continues to be a prominent hub for global tourism. Hotel occupancy has increased to 75.7 percent, marking a rise of 4.9 percentage points from the same period in 2022 and exceeding 2019’s figures by 2.3 percentage points. Although the average stay per guest decreased from 4 to 3.7 nights, the total number of occupied room nights saw a YoY increase of 13 percent in 2023 and a 32 percent growth from 2019, reaching 30.4 million nights.
The report further stated that Abu Dhabi International Airport experienced a substantial increase in passenger traffic, reaching almost 6 million passengers in Q3 2023, 29.3 percent YoY. The airport also registered 37,903 aircraft movements in Q3 2023, marking a 21.8 percent increase from Q3 2022. Moreover, Abu Dhabi’s global reach has notably widened, with 119 destinations now accessible via 24 airlines from the airport. In the third quarter of 2023, the most frequented routes were to London, Mumbai, and Kochi. In addition, the Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Terminal A opened in November 2023 and is expected to significantly boost the airport’s overall capacity.
Dubai Airports has updated its forecast for 2023, now expecting 86.8 million passengers, an increase from the previously anticipated 85 million. This revision indicates that Dubai International Airport is on track to exceed its pre-pandemic passenger traffic of 86.3 million in 2019. In the first three quarters of the year, the airport managed 64.5 million passengers, with a notable 22.9 million recorded in Q3, coinciding with peak summer travel. This represents a 39.3 percent increase from the same period in 2022 and is 1 percent higher than in 2019.
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