Occupancy rates up as dubai welcomes more passengers than heathrow

Photo: antwerpenR

Dubai's airport saw the number of visitors soar 11.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. That climb took its total passenger traffic to 18.4 million, significantly more than London's Heathrow, which received 16.1 million passengers.

As a result, occupancy rates are now on the up. Rates rose for the fourth year in a row in 2013, with hotel and hotel apartments' reaching 80.5 per cent. With average daily rates increased since 2010, revenue per room has been steadily increasing at an average of 10.7 per cent per year for the past three years.

Indeed, Dubai's hospitality sector is enjoying a strong period, growing 14.2 per cent year-on-year to AED 12.2 billion in the first nine months of 2013.