(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha: Qatar Tourism (QT)'s third quarter performance report has shown a growth in the hospitality sector. The report covers the period from July to September 2021.
According to the report, hotel accommodation supply grew 4 percent compared to September 2020, with a total of 29,222 keys by the end of the third quarter this year, compared to 28,201 during the same period in 2020. The Deluxe and Standard Hotel Apartments witnessed the biggest growth with 9 percent. 4 and 5-star hotels also showed a growth of 5 percent each, while a decline of 3, 2 and 1-star hotel at -12 per cent.
Moreover, 14 per cent growth has been seen on the hotel accommodation supply, excluding properties utilised for quarantine purposes. Since March 2021, occupancy rates began to surge compared in 2020. Average occupancy year-to-date in September 2021 was 62 percent, 8 per cent higher compared to 54 per cent from the same period last year.
The report also shows a 13 percent growth in the average room rate (ARR) and a 29 per cent increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR).
Among the factors that contributed on the recovery of the said sector include the Qatar 2021 promotions and all hotels registered with QT acquiring“Qatar Clean” certification as well as the re-opening of the borders in July.
A gradual increase in the number of visitors is also expected as global travel resumes and as the country hosts more popular events such as the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, the first ever Formula One event in Qatar, the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) and the Qatar Live 2021 festival.
QT also showed in the report that due to border closures, visitor arrivals were significantly down in the third quarter of this year or -52 per cent compared to the same period last year. And due to the lifting of the blockade and visitor entries opening to GCC citizens in January 2021, visitation from Saudi and United Arab Emirates (UAE) increased significantly, by 139 per cent and 208 per cent respectively. An increase has also been seen with other nationalities — Indian at 18 percent and Nepalese at 90 per cent.
The top 15 nationalities who have been visiting the country include India, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Pakistan, Kuwait, Turkey, the United Kingdom, United States of America, UAE, Lebanon, Nepal, Bahrain, Philippines, France, and Italy.
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