MIDDLE EAST - Abu Dhabi has posted double-digit growth in hotel guest nights for the first quarter of 2012, with the UK remaining Abu Dhabi’s top performing source market.

Between January and March 37,095 British visitors stayed in the emirate’s hotels, translating into 159,216 guest nights.

New Q1 figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority show that 594,918 guests stayed in the emirate’s 130 hotels and hotel apartments during the first quarter of 2012, a 17 per cent increase on Q1 2011.

Guest nights rose 10 per cent, year-on-year, to 1,725,000, despite the average length of stay for all visitors to Abu Dhabi during the first threemonths of 2012 slipping five per cent to 2.90.

“Our focus is now to convince people that there is so much more to see and do in Abu Dhabi that they should extend their stay,” said His Excellency Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. “We are working hard on a trade engagement policy to improve distribution and dissemination of this message.”

Overall hotel revenues rose one per cent to AED1.2bn (US$326m), with the average room rate coming in at AED500 ($136).

Long-running hotel project Ain Al Fayadha, meanwhile, will re-open its doors next month following a $989m renovation, as it looks to capitalise on the Oasis City’s growing popularity.

Owned by Al Qudra Holding and managed by One To One hotels, the 36sqkm property will be renamed One To One Resort - Ain Al Fayadha. The first phase of the opening next month brings online 56 luxury villas as well as a signature restaurant.

Phase two, scheduled for end of June, will include the re-opening of the 26-room boutique four-star hotel, two additional restaurants, sports facilities and a traditional 1,000-seater Arabic tent for meetings. There is also a dedicated race track for camel and horse racing.

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