The wide range of hotel establishments in Dubai presented yet another stellar performance across all hospitality metrics during the first half of 2022. Average occupancy for the hotel sector between January and June 2022 stood at 74%, one of the world’s highest, compared to 62% in H1 2021, a difference of 12 percentage points and just short of the 76% occupancy level registered during the pre-pandemic period of H1 2019. This is particularly noteworthy as it was achieved in spite of a +19% increase in room capacity over the same period in 2019. Dubai’s hotel inventory by the end of June 2022 comprised 140,778 rooms open at 773 hotel establishments, compared to 118,345 rooms available at the end of June 2019 across 714 establishments. Meanwhile, the total number of hotels in H1 2022 marked an 8% growth over H1 2021, highlighting continued strong investor confidence in Dubai’s tourism sector. The hotel sector outperformed pre-pandemic levels across all other key measurements – Occupied Room Nights, Average Daily Rate (ADR) and Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR). Dubai hotel establishments delivered a combined 18.47million occupied room nights during the first six months of the year, a +30.4% YoY growth, and a +18% increase over the pre-pandemic period of H1 2019, which yielded 15.71 million occupied room nights. In addition, the ADR of AED567 in the first half of the year surpassed the ADRs for both H1 2021 (AED382) and 2019 (AED444), with 48.5% and 28% YoY growth, respectively.  The robust performance of the hotel sector is also evident in RevPAR growth – a surge of over 76% compared to the first six months of  2021 (AED417 v AED237)  and an increase of 24% …

Dubai attracted 7.12 million international overnight visitors between January and June 2022, recording more than 183% growth in visitors compared to the 2.52 million tourists who visited Dubai during the same period in 2021, according to latest data from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). This positive trend in H1 2022 places the city firmly on track to achieve its tourism goals for 2022 and beyond, and further reinforces its position as an international destination of choice. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “The vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the city of the future and the world’s best place to live, work and invest in has resulted in a resurgence of Dubai’s tourism sector. The growth in tourists reflects the resilience and dynamism of the emirate’s economy. His Highness’s vision has helped Dubai create a strong and stable economic foundation and a dynamic business ecosystem, enabling it to become a leading global hub for diverse sectors. The rapid rise in international tourist arrivals puts Dubai on track to achieve its ambitious target of becoming the world’s most visited destination. In the years ahead, Dubai will continue to develop itself further as a destination that offers compelling value to international travellers.” The number of tourists recorded in H1 2022 was close to the numbers achieved in the first six months of 2019, which saw 8.36 million tourists arriving in Dubai. The emirate’s ability to quickly return to near pre-pandemic tourism levels is even …

Oman Air continues to facilitate travel for football fans to this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The airline will operate 48 Match Day Shuttle flights between Muscat and Doha from 21st November to 3rd December 2022. The airline offers wide-body service, including Boeing 787 Dreamliner between Muscat and Doha. Passengers on shuttle flights will enjoy Oman Air’s exceptional award-winning products and services, both in the air and on the ground, and its signature Omani hospitality accessible to guests on every flight. Return Match Day Shuttle flights can be booked on the Oman Air website (omanair.com) with prices starting from 49 OMR for Economy Class and 155 OMR for Business Class. Fares include fees, taxes, airport charges, and hand baggage allowance. Passengers are advised to arrive in Doha at least four hours before the start of a match due to the high frequency of flights each day. In addition, all passengers must register for a Hayya card (fan ID) prior to their flight, as this is required for travel on all Match Day Shuttle flights and for entry into Qatar. Throughout the tournament, football fans can book their Match Day Shuttle flights, which provide a smooth and comfortable 24-hour experience between Muscat and Doha. The service is intended to seamlessly connect fans to Qatar so that they can attend their respective matches. A no-check-in baggage policy also allows passengers to plan an easy-in, easy-out travel itinerary. Football fans to the region can also visit Muscat to experience thrilling adventures, breathtaking natural beauty, and genuine Omani hospitality through a variety of stopover packages available from Oman Air Holidays. Whether stopping for a few hours, overnight or several days, the Sultanate of …

Close on the heels of re-introducing double-daily flights, Emirates has announced plans to up frequencies to Mauritius starting 1 October 2022. The additional evening frequency which will operate up till 31 January 2023 is in response to increased travel demand to and from Mauritius, and will boost connectivity to the island nation. Emirates’ third-daily flight to Mauritius will operate with the following schedule (all timings local): EK 709 departs Dubai at 22:10 hrs and arrives in Mauritius at 04:45 hrs. EK 710 leaves Mauritius at 06:30 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 13:05 hrs. The third-daily flight will boost seat capacity to and from Mauritius by approximately 35%, catering to the surge in demand and providing added support to the tourism industry during one of the busiest travel seasons. The added frequency supplements the existing double-daily Airbus A380 services and will also offer customers travelling to Mauritius with more flexibility when planning their trip with the choice of an early morning arrival at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in addition to the existing EK 0701 service which arrives mid-morning, and EK 0703 that arrives early evening. Travellers departing Mauritius will also have ample choice to connect safely and seamlessly to Dubai, and through Dubai onwards to Emirates’ global network of 130 destinations. All three daily flights offer code sharing with Air Mauritius to allow greater access and a seamless travel experience to and from the island nation. HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group said, “We thank the Mauritian authorities for considering our request to operate a third daily flight. Air connectivity is critical to international tourism, and these extra seats will help …

DidaTravel launched its B2B flight booking multi-GDS portal, including access to full-service carriers, low-cost carriers (LCCs), and new distribution capability (NDC) content. DidaTravel’s 23,000 B2B buyers around the world – such as travel agents, tour operators, OTAs, TMCs and MICE – can now access flights from 500 plus airlines to fly to more than 20,000 destinations around the world. Going forward clients will have the added option of combining flights with accommodation to boost their ancillary revenue thanks to dynamic packaging technology that also includes in-path and post-booking cross-selling tools. Packaging of flights with accommodation is already available through the company’s new flight booking engine or as an XML / API integration, with dynamic packaging to be integrated at the end of 2022. In addition, currently there is an option for clients to query flight prices manually. To lead this new area, Jason Guan – who joined DidaTravel last year – has now been appointed as Flight Business Unit General Manager, reporting directly to Rikin Wu, DidaTravel Founder & CEO. This new team consists of specialists with expertise in the area of system analysis and design, system architecture and modelling, development and coding, testing and implementation. Rikin Wu, DidaTravel’s Founder & CEO comments: “Most of our clients across Middle East region are looking for flight content, in particular for the possibility to package flights with accommodation.  Given the popularity of packages in the region, we anticipate a high level of demand in the Middle East market – and are already putting in place the resources to fulfil this demand.” Jason Guan, DidaTravel’s Flight Business Unit General Manager added: “I am so pleased to join DidaTravel. We have put together a …

Expedia Group released its Q2 2022 Traveler Insights Report. The quarterly report combines Expedia Group first-party data and custom research with actionable insights and industry examples to support travel marketers on their continued journey toward rebuilding. “Despite a variety of industry and economic headwinds during Q2, people still found a way to travel, and in many cases, went further afield,” said Jennifer Andre, Global Vice President, Media Solutions. “The return of long-haul and international family travel, higher hotel average daily rates and higher average ticket prices in Q2, are just a few positive indicators for what we hope will be a strong second half of 2022. Our latest report provides valuable data and insights to help marketers effectively reach and engage potential travelers and capture sustained traveler demand.” Key findings from the Q2 2022 Traveler Insights Report include: Travel Searches Hold Steady Following a 25% quarter-over-quarter surge in searches globally between Q4 2021 and Q1 2022 across the Expedia Group branded sites, search volumes held steady in Q2, indicating sustained interest and enthusiasm to travel. Asia Pacific (APAC) saw strong double-digit growth between Q1 and Q2 (30%), followed by Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at 10%. Week-over-week global search volume fluctuated throughout Q2, with the strongest gains during the week of June 6. Week-over-week searches globally increased 10% following the June 10 announcement that the U.S. would no longer require COVID-19 testing for international travelers.   Search Windows Still Shorter Seasonal holidays and a palpable desire to travel in the near term, coupled with economic and pandemic-related concerns and regional instability, contributed to growth in shorter search windows during Q1. Global share of searches in the 0- to …

Rotana announced its foray into the Algerian market with Azure Rotana Resort & Spa. The resort in Algeria’s port city is set to open in March 2023 catering to diverse travellers. Located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Azure Rotana Resort & Spa is in close proximity to the city’s iconic landmarks including Fort Santa Cruz and Place du 1er Novembre. Combining authenticity and contemporary designs, the property will boast 185 spacious rooms and suites including eight sea view ambassador suites. Guests will enjoy a wide array of food and beverage options from five outlets including a lobby lounge, a shisha terrace, an all-day dining restaurant, a pool bar, and a specialty restaurant. Commenting on the announcement, Guy Hutchinson, President and CEO of Rotana said: “As we continue expanding our footprint in the region, Azure Rotana Resort & Spa represents a key milestone for us as our first hotel in Algeria. North Africa has tremendous potential, and we look forward to further growing our portfolio in the region. Setting new standards in design and hospitality, our new resort will ensure we deliver on our brand promise of “Treasure Time” and make for a great destination holiday for families and visitors to enjoy.” Furthermore, Azure Rotana Resort & Spa will offer a range of services and amenities including a state-of-the-art spa and treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, and a kid’s club. The grand ballroom will cater for up to 300 people in addition to three fully equipped meeting venues and a business centre to answer any business need. Ali Saradjia, CEO of Chez Saradjia Group, owning company of Azure Rotana Resort & Spa, added: “Rotana is …

The ancient desert city of AlUla has announced its 2022 line up of key events and festivals. Under the umbrella of AlUla Moments, the 2022 lineup includes the return of AlUla Wellness Festival as well as Winter at Tantora and announces a new addition to the calendar – The Ancient Kingdoms Festival. Also, in an exciting return to city’s marquee events, the calendar kicks off this September with the return of the Kingdom’s first music festival, Azimuth. The intimate 3-day celebration of music, art and food is back with a refreshed approach in a stunning canyon setting. With a focus on sunrise and sunset performances and an exciting mix of east meets west – the festival is set to be a hot ticket for music and arts lovers who want to escape the city heat over the Saudi National Day weekend. Azimuth is followed directly by The Wellness Festival. Debuting in March 2022, the festival returns in a new September/October period to capitalise on the changing of the season and the beginning of new life. The festival will once again be anchored by Five Senses Sanctuary – a purpose built spa, fitness and wellness retreat which will bring the world’s best practitioners together with local talent to create the Kingdom’s most significant offering of experiences for the mind, body and soul. The Ancient Kingdoms Festival brings the past into the present with experiences inspired by the significance of 7000 years of successive civilizations on the Arabian Peninsula and the famed incense road trading route that cemented AlUla as the bustling commercial and cultural crossroad. The festival marks the first time that visitors will be invited to discover the linked frontier …

HVS announced that it will be working with the US-based Abraham Accords Peace Institute (AAPI) to help develop and expand tourism initiatives in each Abraham Accords country with the aim of enabling each country’s economy to grow materially as a result. The Abraham Accords are a series of joint initiatives agreed in 2020 between the US, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain and Sudan, and the first public statement normalising diplomatic and economic relations between an Arab country and Israel since the historic relationships established with Egypt and Jordan. The initiative with AAPI was spearheaded by Steve Mendell, founder of the HVS offices in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and Russell Kett, chairman of HVS London, a specialist in Israel’s economic and tourism sector, who will be responsible for executing HVS’s role. “Our aim is to develop initiatives that lead to materially significant improvements in tourism bilaterally and, potentially, inter-regionally too. We are very pleased to be involved with this historic initiative and to bring our experience and knowledge of the tourism sector to help improve and foster stronger relations between the countries, and for tourism to contribute to the growth of their economies,” commented Kett. HVS will be working to devise ways of tracking tourism growth, optimising cooperation between each country, co-ordinating tourism-related events, assisting in the development of relations between key tourism officials as well as helping to conduct research and analysis on the sector. “The Abraham Accords are the most significant development in the Middle East in decades and AAPI is particularly well positioned to continue to develop and deepen the Accords. Based on HVS’s broad experience in tourism generally and in the Middle …

Royal Central Hotel The Palm posted a fantastic performance from January to June of this year, doubling its occupancy rate, with the highest being recorded at 96 percent in March compared to 45 percent for the same period last year. The luxurious property recorded a strong beginning of the year with significant demand from guests who visited the Expo, those who took advantage of the cool weather, and the ease in travel restrictions from neighboring countries and key markets. Visitors from France, Germany, and the GCC continue to dominate the number of hotel guests, but tourists from Italy are viewed as the new potential market for Royal Central Hotel The Palm. “We are very proud of our hotel performance for the first half of the year, and we are positive that we can keep the momentum till the end of the year. The impressive growth was from the momentum generated by the hugely successful Expo 2020, which brought immense attention to Dubai and the easing of travel restrictions worldwide. We are projecting the demand to increase during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and as we welcome the festive season, we can see a healthy 2022 for the hospitality industry,” noted Abdulla Alabdulla, Group General Manager, Central Hotels & Resorts. Occupancy rates in Dubai have averaged 74 percent throughout the first half of 2022, making the city the world leader for hotel occupancies, ahead of New York, London, and Paris, according to the recent tourism data revealed by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Dubai has welcomed 7.1 million international overnight visitors up to June 2022, a 183 percent YoY increase. The 74 percent occupancy figure was maintained from …