World Cup lifts Qatar's hotel rooms' yield about 300% in December

Doha's hospitality sector saw an almost 300% surge year-on-year in rooms' yield in December 2022, as Qatar saw more than four-fold jump in visitors, particularly from the Americas and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) as well as other Arab countries, in view of the crucial matches of the FIFA World Cup, which culminated to success during the month, according to the official data.In December 2022, the hospitality sector saw the average room rates increase in the range of 106% to 365% on an annualised basis, while visitors' growth in the range of 142-587%, said the figures released by the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA).The country's overall hospitality sector saw a 285.84 year-on-year surge in average revenue per available room to QR1,281 in December 2022 as the average room rate zoomed 328.4% to QR2,112. Occupancy nevertheless was down 6% to 61% in the review period.This upward trend in the hospitality sector’s room yield comes amidst a 317.6% year-on-year surge in visitor arrivals to 613,612 in December 2022 with majority coming from the GCC countries.The visitor arrivals from the GCC were 244,261 or 40% of the total; followed by Europe 103,067 or 17%; other Asia (including Oceania) 99,638 or 16%; other Arab countries 87,916 or 14%; Americas 68,422 or 11% and other African countries 10,308 or 2%.The visitor arrivals from the Americas zoomed 586.9% on an annualised basis in the review period; followed by other Arab countries (479.4%), the GCC (447.5%), other African countries (346.4%), Europe (206%) and other Asia, including Oceania (141.9%).On a monthly basis, the visitor arrivals from the GCC shot up 90.2% and those from other Arab countries by 2.9%; whereas those from the Americas declined 49.6%, other African countries by 25.9%, other Asia including Oceania by 13.4% and Europe by 9% in December 2022.In the case of five-star hotels, the average revenue per available room soared 305.84% on annualised basis to QR1,806 in December 2022 as the average room rate skyrocketed 364.5% to QR3,140. The occupancy was seen dropping 8% to 58% in December 2022.The average revenue per available room in the four-star hotels shot up 239.42% on a yearly basis to QR706 in December 2022 as the average room rate jumped 307.22% to QR1,128. The occupancy plummeted 12% to 63% in the review period.The three-star hotels saw a 173.13% year-on-year jump in average revenue per available room to QR620 as average room rate grew 262.96% to QR882 in December 2022. The occupancy plunged 23% to 70% in the review period.The two-star and one-star hotels' average revenue per available room shot up 197.73% year-on-year to QR393 in December 2022 as the average room rate grew 106.28% to QR427 and occupancy by 28% to 92%.The deluxe hotel apartments saw a 327.35% year-on-year expansion in average revenue available per room to QR1,000 in December 2022 as the average room rate in the category was seen shooting up 317.99% on an annualised basis to QR1,626 and the occupancy by 2% to 62% in the review period.In the case of standard hotel apartments, the room yield improved by 143.06% year-on-year to QR525 in December 2022. The average room rate shot up 275.5% to QR935, even as occupancy tanked 31% to 56% in the review period.