Collective efforts in boosting tourism and the performance of Qatar’s hospitality sector are yielding positive results. The average revenues of hotels, except 5-Start category properties, witnessed a moderate growth (year-on-year) in August 2019 (year-to-date, YTD), with the budget hotels (2&1Star) recording the highest nearly 25 percent rise in their revenues.
The average revenue of hotels, measured by per available room, increased to QR237 in August 2019 (YTD), up nearly 2.6 percent, or QR6 per room, compared to QR231 a year ago (August 2018), official data released yesterday show.
Supported by a significant increase in the number of tourists, which resulted in the increase in hotel occupancy rates, the revenue per available room of hotels improved in August 2019 compared to a year ago, according to data released by the Planning and Statistics Authority.
The average occupancy of hotels (all categories combined) in August (YTD) increased by 5 percent to 63 percent against 58 percent for the same period last year.
When analyzed by individual categories, data show that all categories of hotels (barring 5-Star category) registered a moderate growth in August in ‘hotel revenues per available room’ by varying degrees ranging between QR5 and QR22, with 2&1-Star hotel rooms seeing the highest 25 percent, or QR22 (from QR87 to QR109).
This was closely followed by 3-Star category hotels which saw their revenue increasing to QR132 in August, up by nearly 10 percent (or QR12 per available room) compared to QR120 reported for August 2018.
Revenues of 4-Star hotels edged-up to QR148 in August 2019 (YTD) against QR143 per available room in the same month last year. While the revenues of 5-Star category hotels slipped marginally by 1.2 percent or (QR4 per room) to QR320 in August 2019 compared to QR324 in August 2018.
The overall improvement in the performance of the hotel industry can be attributed mainly to an increase in the number of tourists, especially as a result of sharp growth in cruise tourism. According to recently released data, about 1.34 million (to be exact 1,346,403) people visited Qatar in August 2019 (YTD). Out of that 1,235,888 people came by Air and 110,515 by sea.
Europe and Asia accounted for a significant majority (70 percent) of the total number of visitors in August (YTD) 2019, with Asia, including Oceania, accounting for 39 percent and Europe 31 percent. GCC countries accounted for 12 percent of the total number of visitors for the period.
The Peninsula
03/10/2019
