Doha: Hotels in the country bucked the trend in the Middle East by posting a 9.5 percent growth in the occupancy rate in July, STR Global data show.
Doha was the only city in the Middle East to post positive occupancy figures last month as the region saw rates slump by 13.5 percent.
In Qatar, occupancy rates at hotels rose to 48.2 percent, STR Global said, adding the only other city registering growth in the Middle East and Africa was Nairobi, capital of Kenya.
Revenue per available room in Qatar hotels rose by 2.5 percent to $83.96 in July. Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) released figures which showed the occupancy rate had risen from an average of 58 percent to 67 percent despite a 4.5 percent increase in the number of available rooms.
Total revenue in four- and five-star hotels increased by QR155.9m, with a 20 percent rise in revenue of five-star hotels.
QTA Chairman Issa Mohammed Al Mohannadi said the fact that Doha topped the list in the Middle East and Africa reflected the success of QTA’s strategy to develop the tourism sector. We are seeing strong growth in all aspects of Qatar’s tourism sector. QTA is proud of these developments and strides being made towards a record year of tourism in Qatar.
“As tourism becomes increasingly important to diversifying the national economy we look positively on these developments.”
The total number of hotels under construction increased to 121 in the second quarter of 2013 from 110 at the end of 2012; with 20,955 rooms expected to be delivered. QNA
