UAE hotels hit 62% occupancy as tourism industry continues Covid-19 recovery
Nearly 8.3 million guests visited the UAE’s hotels and tourism establishments in first six months of the year, a 15 percent growth compared to the first half of 2020
Nearly 8.3 million guests visited the UAE’s hotels and tourism establishments in the first six months of the year.
UAE hotels hit 62 percent occupancy in the first six months of 2021 as the tourism sector continues to rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic, ahead of Expo 2020 Dubai opening in October, state news agency WAM reported.
Nearly 8.3 million guests visited the UAE’s hotels and tourism establishments in the first six months of the year, a 15 percent growth compared to the first half of 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdowns prevented much travel and tourism.
The Emirates outperformed other global tourism destinations in the first half, including China (where hotels reached 54 percent occupancy), US (45 percent), Mexico (38 percent), the United Kingdom (37 percent), and Turkey (36 percent).
Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi (pictured below), Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, and chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, said the first half results reflect guests’ trust in the national tourism products, and their competitiveness in establishing themselves as preferred choices for the country’s citizens and residents, compared to other foreign tourist destinations, WAM reported.
Dr. Al Falasi pointed to the high vaccination rate that has subsequently raised the level of safety and confidence in the UAE’s tourism sector. The UAE’s vaccination drive has been one of the fastest in the world, with 81 percent of the population now fully vaccinated – on Sunday, the country reported fewer than 400 Covid-19 cases for the first time in a year.
Expo 2020 Dubai, which will open its doors to the world on October 1, is expected to further boost the country’s tourism sector as the six-month event is forecast to welcome 25 million visits and will bring to Dubai delegations from more than 192 countries.
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