Strong revival in the cards

With a minimum of 10 per cent RevPar (revenue per available room) growth expected to take place in UAE’s tourism sector this year, there are clear signs of a strong revival in the UAE’s hospitality sector. “The UAE’s GDP growth is projected at around 5.2 per cent and the growth is mirrored in the tourism industry,” says Alex Kyriakidis, Marriott International’s President & Managing Director for Middle East & Africa Continent. He added that the continued growth in GDP buoyed by a number of factors including a strong oil price, investment by the UAE in its airlines Emirates and Etihad, continued investment in airport infrastructure in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports as well as continued investment in hospitality product — with 9,000 rooms coming on stream in Abu Dhabi and 6,000 rooms in Dubai. Yet another industry expert, Peter Goddard, Managing Director of TRI Consulting, said that Dubai has “definitely had an upswing in performance” while Abu Dhabi has “not been as fortunate”. Commenting on the sustainability in industry’s growth, he said that “stability, ongoing investment in infrastructure and real estate and the international exposure via UAE carriers” will drive the future growth besides other government related activities.Continued investment in diversifying tourism demand through a number of segments including leisure, medical tourism, residential tourism (by virtue of the Arab Spring) and cultural tourism will drive future growth, said Kyriakidis. From Gulf news.