Dubai Hotels post 37% Revenue Growth in 2004

Dubai’s booming hotel industry crossed a major milestone by playing host to an all-time record 5.42 million guests at 371 hotels and hotel apartments and recording AED6.2 billion revenues in the year 2004 (January-December).

Releasing the performance statistics at the ITB 2005 in Berlin, Mr. Khalid A bin Sulayem, Director General of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said, “Tourism has contributed enormously in giving new directions of growth and expansion for Dubai. We have succeeded in matching the expectations and marching into the future with confidence as the world keeps looking at Dubai with admiration and amazement.”

“The success of Dubai’s hotel industry is the result of an admirable public-private sector partnership that has put Dubai more firmly on the world tourism map. Dubai has been posting impressive growth year after year, even at times when the tourism industry in other parts of the world went through major downturns and negative developments” he added. 

The stellar performance reconfirms Dubai’s economic vibrancy and the growth potential that the emirate holds in different economic sectors.

A total of 5,420,724 guests checked-in at Dubai hotels and hotel apartments in 2004, against 4,980,228 in the previous year.

Guest nights grew by 22.2 per cent with the Dubai properties logging over 15.2 million guest nights last year. The average length of stay jumped 12.3 % to reach 2.80 days. 

Dubai hotel industry’s total revenues in 2004 were to the tune of AED 6,205,748,480, a 37 % increase over the previous year.

Hotel room inventory went up by 2.3% to reach 26,154 against 25,571 in 2003. Hotel apartments totaled 7,277 with an 8.7% increase in occupancy levels.

Hotel occupancy rose by 13.9% with 76.9% beds occupied in 2004. The average occupancy levels for Dubai hotels last year was 81 % as against 72.4 % in the year 2003.

Mr. bin Sulayem said, “The phenomenal growth of the emirate’s tourism industry in general and hospitality sector in particular proves Dubai’s popularity as an ideal year-round business and leisure destination. Our aggressive promotional and marketing initiatives contributed enormously to achieve the growth objectives and in giving a boost to Dubai’s image in overseas markets.”

The impressive growth being recorded by the hospitality industry year after year is the result of the department’s pro-active policy of cooperation and support to the private sector.

The DTCM, created in January 1997 replacing a promotion board that existed for nine years, is the principal authority for planning, supervision, and development of the tourism. It oversees the licensing of hotels, hotel apartments, tour operators, and tour guides and promotes and markets Dubai across the world through a network of 14 Overseas Representation (OR) offices.

The department manages heritage sites and the region’s first and only dedicated cruise terminal. The 3,300-square-metre cruise facility is the world’s first ISO-certified cruise terminal operated by a government tourism department. The cruise terminal is scheduled to receive 16 cruise ships in 2005 and witness a 33 % increase in cruise tourists over the 8,000 arrivals in 2004.

See other recent news regarding: DTCM