Efforts in boosting the performance of Qatar’s hospitality sector have yielded positive results. The average revenues of hotels, except 5-Start category, witnessed a fair growth (year-on-year) in June 2019 (year-to-date, YTD), with the budget hotels recording the highest 23 percent rise in their revenues.
The average revenue of hotels, measured by per available room, increased to QR242 in June 2019 (YTD), up by nearly 3 percent, or QR7 per room, compared to QR235 a year ago (June 2018), official data 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 June 2019 compared to a year ago, latest available data released by the Planning and Statistics Authority show.
The average occupancy of hotels (all categories combined) in June (YTD) increased by 6 percent to 65 percent against 59 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 ‘hotel revenues per available room’ by varying degrees ranging between QR6 and QR21, with 1&2-Star hotel rooms seeing the highest 23 percent, or QR21 (from QR89 to QR110).
This was closely followed by 3-Star category hotels which saw their revenue increasing to QR134 in June, up by nearly 11 percent (or QR13 per available room) compared to QR121 reported for June 2018.
Revenues of 4-Star hotels edged-up to QR152 in June 2019 (YTD) against QR146 per available room in the same month last year. While the revenues of 5-Star category hotels slipped marginally by QR2 to QR328 in June 2019 compared to June 2018.
The improvement in the performance of the hotel industry can be attributed mainly to the increase in the number of tourists, especially as a result of sharp growth in cruise tourism. According to recently released data, some 1,053,015 people visited Qatar in June 2019 (YTD). Out of that 945,640 people came by Air and 107,375 by sea.
Europe and Asia accounted for a significant majority (71 percent) of the total number of visitors in June (YTD) 2019, with Asia, including Oceania, accounting for 39 percent and Europe 32 percent. GCC countries accounted for 11 percent of the total number of visitors for the period.
Nearly 90 percent of the total number of visitors arrived by air and the remaining (10 percent) entered Qatar by sea route. No visitors were able to enter the country by land route due to the obvious reason of illegal blockade by Saudi Arabia-led Arab quartet.
Contrary to hotel room revenues, average revenues for ‘Hotel Apartments’ (measured in per available room) showed a decline of 3.8 percent (year-on-year) which declined to QR235 in June from QR244 a year ago. Revenues per available room for Deluxe category apartments declined to QR254 in June 2019 from QR265 in the same period last year, and revenue for Standard category declined to QR148 in June from QR153 a year ago.
The Peninsula
02/09/2019
