Abu Dhabi’s 156 hotels and hotel apartments have reported their best nine months yet in terms of guest arrivals, guest nights, occupancy and revenue.

Figures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) show that from January to September end, 2,498,672 guests checked into the emirate’s accommodation – a 26 per cent year-on-year increase. The arrivals delivered 7,502,924 guest nights, which was up 21 per cent on the same period last year with hotel occupancy rising 7 per cent to 73 per cent. Hotel revenues climbed to AED 4,268 billion (US $1.16 billion), which is a 15 per cent growth on last year with room revenues growing 16 per cent to AED2,170,548,482 (US $591 million) and food & beverage income rising 12 per cent to AED 1,626,203,483 (US $442.6 milliion). India remains the emirate’s most productive overseas market with 162,394 Indians checking into Abu Dhabi’s accommodation which was up by a third on the first nine months of last year. Indians are staying 3.78 nights on average. The UK is the emirate’s second largest overseas market with some 136,970 Britons staying in Abu Dhabi hotels during the first nine months which is a 25 per cent year-on-year uplift. Germany is the third largest market for hotel guests with 92,623 Germans staying in Abu Dhabi’s hotels in the first nine months, 11 per cent more than last year. One of the fastest-growing markets for Abu Dhabi is China.