Domestic tourism in UAE has ‘exploded’ since onset of coronavirus

Domestic tourism in UAE has ‘exploded’ since onset of coronavirus

Domestic tourism in the UAE has “exploded” as a result of the coronavirus crisis, however, the country still has some way to go to become a holiday haven for residents, according to Bruno Trenchard, senior manager – hotels and hospitality, at CBRE Middle East.

The global Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the closure of international borders, although Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah have since reopened to tourists from abroad. As a result the domestic market has taken off – Abu Dhabi achieved the highest hotel occupancy rates and the third highest revenue per room in the region in Q3. While, relative to Q2, hotel revenues saw an increase of 46 percent, with a 95 percent increase in the number of guests.

Trenchard told Arabian Business: “It has literally exploded in the last few months. We have had stories of countless resorts in the country that are really doing well, that are really full on the weekends and that are really banking on this domestic tourism trend.”

According to CBRE's UAE Domestic Tourism Trends & opportunities for the hospitality sector, just one in five hotel guests in the country were UAE nationals – pre-Covid. Trenchard said that figure has since gone up to around