Qatar hotel industry records higher occupancy in December 2023

Qatar's hospitality sector witnessed higher occupancy year-on-year in December 2023, even as rooms yield declined, according to the official estimates.The country's overall hospitality sector saw higher than average growth in occupancy in the three and four-star hotels as well as standard and deluxe hotel apartment categories, according to the Planning and Statistics Authority data.In December 2022, the FIFA World Cup had seen a drastic surge in demand and therefore the average room tariffs, resulting in a spiralling rooms yield at that time.The occupancy in December 2023 comes amidst 518,856 visitor arrivals in the said month. On a yearly basis, the total visitor arrivals declined 15.4% but grew 31.9% month-on-month in the review period.The visitor arrivals from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) constituted 171,035 or 33% of the total, Europe 144,642 (28%), other Asia (including Oceania) 114,296 (22%), other Arab countries 39,719 (8%), Americas 34,972 (7%), and other African countries 14,192 (3%) in December 2023.On an annualised basis, the visitor arrivals from the GCC rose 30%; while those from other Arab countries declined 54.8%, Americas 48.9%, Europe 40.3%, other African countries 37.7% and other Asia (including Oceania) 14.7% in December 2023.On a month-on-month basis, the visitor arrivals from Europe shot up 81.8% and other Arab countries by 50.4%; whereas those from other African countries plummeted 124.4%, Americas by 63.9%, other Asia (including Oceania) by 45.6% and the GCC by 5.5% in the review period.Qatar's hospitality sector saw a 12% year-on-year increase in occupancy to 72%, even as revenue per available room plunged 75.52% to QR307 as the average room rate declined by 79.7% to QR425 in December 2023.The five-star hotels' occupancy rose by 10% to 67% but rooms yield plummeted 76.9% to QR405 as average room rate shrank 80.43% to QR605 in the review period.The four-star hotels saw a 13% higher occupancy to 75% but revenue per available room tanked 74.66% to QR168 as average room rate plunged 79.03% to QR224 in December 2023.The three-star hotels' occupancy shot up 16% to 91% even as rooms yield declined 71.43% to QR168 as average room rate fell 76.12% to QR186 in the review period.The two-star and one-star hotels' occupancy was up 2% to 90% but rooms yield contracted by 61.02% to QR145 as average room rate decreased by 61.79% to QR162 in the last month of 2023.The deluxe hotel apartments registered a 16% surge in occupancy to 76%, whereas revenue per available room fell 72.38% to QR279 on 78% shrinkage in average room rate to QR368 in the review period.In the case of standard hotel apartments, occupancy was higher by 21% to 73% but rooms yield dropped 74.11 to QR167 as average room rate plummeted 81.72% to QR228 in December 2023.