Abu Dhabi’s hospitality sector generates US$166.34M in March 2025, reflecting sustained growth

UAE – Abu Dhabi’s hospitality sector continued to demonstrate strong growth in March 2025, with hotel establishments across the emirate generating total revenues of AED 611 million (US$166.34 million), according to preliminary data released by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) in coordination with the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD).

The revenue breakdown revealed that AED 345 million (US$93.95 million) came from room bookings, AED 228 million (US$62.06 million) from food and beverage services, and AED 38 million (US$10.35 million) from other sources.

This robust financial performance highlights Abu Dhabi’s continued appeal as a premier destination offering a wide range of accommodation and hospitality experiences.

In March, the emirate welcomed approximately 417,000 hotel guests, reflecting steady visitor arrivals. The hospitality landscape included 171 hotel establishments with a combined total of 34,341 rooms.

These properties recorded over 1.2 million guest nights and achieved an average occupancy rate of 69 percent.

The average revenue per available room (RevPAR) reached AED 486 (US$132.32), signaling healthy demand and operational efficiency.

Visitor demographics showed that non-Arab Asian nationals led arrivals with 152,000 guests, followed by Europeans at 123,000, while UAE nationals accounted for 58,000 hotel stays.

Five-star hotels dominated the market, hosting 205,000 guests, including 78,000 Europeans.

Four-star hotels welcomed 119,000 guests, three-star and below properties recorded 54,000 guests, and serviced apartments accommodated 38,000 visitors.

Officials attributed the sector’s strong results to Abu Dhabi’s diverse accommodation portfolio, world-class hospitality standards, and strategic initiatives aligned with the Tourism Strategy 2030.

The strategy aims to increase annual visitor numbers to 39.3 million, create 178,000 tourism jobs, expand hotel capacity to 50,000 rooms, and boost tourism’s contribution to the emirate’s GDP to AED 90 billion (US$24.5 billion) by 2030.

The March figures reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading tourism hub in the region, supported by ongoing investments in infrastructure, cultural attractions, and hospitality services designed to meet the evolving preferences of a diverse global traveler base.

Continued growth in the hospitality sector is expected to contribute significantly to the emirate’s economic diversification and long-term sustainability goals.

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