Dubai Eid hotel occupancy up 20% compared to 2019

The hotel industry in Dubai has performed better during this year's Eid Al Fitr holidays compared to 2019, with occupancy and room rates exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

That's according to figures released by STR, which provides market data on the hotel industry worldwide, including supply and demand and market share data.

Three quarters of all Dubai hotel rooms were occupied throughout the Eid break, with the average room rate coming in at around AED 700 .

Philip Wooller, Area Director for the Middle East and Africa for STR, told Dubai Eye 103.8's Business Breakfast the city continues to attract visitors from across the globe.

Wooller argued that the average cost of a hotel room will have been pushed up due to the success of the luxury hotel market in the country, but rates have also been driven by the Emirate's strategic response to the COVID pandemic and the hosting of world events like Expo 2020 Dubai. 

He suggested, though, the price of a hotel stay in Dubai is likely to drop as temperatures increase, with the city having a huge amount of rooms to fill.

Wooller claimed that demand is likely to remain high, with the help of continued growth in the regional market.