Abu Dhabi hospitality sector posts robust growth; revenue hits $166mln
Abu Dhabi's hospitality sector continues to show robust growth, with hotel establishments across the emirate generating revenues of AED611 million ($166.34 million) in March 2025, according to preliminary data released by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in coordination with the Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD).
The total revenue breakdown comprises AED345 million from room bookings, AED228 million from food and beverage services, and AED38 million from other sources.
The emirate welcomed approximately 417,000 hotel guests during March, highlighting Abu Dhabi's growing appeal as a global tourist destination. The surge is attributed to the emirate's diverse accommodation offerings and high-quality hospitality services.
A total of 171 hotel establishments, comprising 34,341 rooms, operated across Abu Dhabi in March. These properties recorded over 1.2 million guest nights, achieving an average occupancy rate of 69%. The average revenue per available room (RevPAR) stood at AED486.
Non-Arab Asian nationals topped the list of international visitors, accounting for 152,000 hotel guests. European travellers followed with 123,000 guests, while UAE nationals accounted for 58,000 stays.
These figures underline Abu Dhabi's sustained tourism growth and its strengthening position as a preferred destination for a wide range of global markets.
According to DCT Abu Dhabi, five-star hotels hosted the highest number of guests, totalling 205,000 in March. European visitors made up the largest segment within this category, with 78,000 guests.
Four-star hotels received 119,000 guests, followed by three-star and below hotels with 54,000 guests. Additionally, serviced apartments accommodated 38,000 visitors.
The strong performance aligns with Abu Dhabi's Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million visitors annually, generate 178,000 new jobs in the tourism sector, expand hotel capacity to 50,000 rooms, and increase the sector's contribution to the emirate's GDP to AED90 billion by the end of the decade.
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