Abu Dhabi Hospitality Recovery Generates AED 611M in March 2025
Abu Dhabi's hospitality sector marked a powerful resurgence in March 2025, generating AED 611 million ($166.37 million USD) in total revenue, signaling a firm upward trend in the emirate’s tourism ecosystem. This milestone is a crucial indicator of the Abu Dhabi Hospitality Recovery, reflecting renewed global interest and strong domestic momentum.
Room Revenues Drive AED 345M Surge in Total Income
Room bookings made up the largest share of hospitality income, pulling in AED 345 million, or over 56% of total sector revenue. This growth was underpinned by 417,000 hotel guest arrivals, pointing to healthy demand across the emirate's diverse hotel inventory. The average revenue per available room (RevPAR) hit AED 486, a solid metric that reflects the strength of pricing and occupancy dynamics.
Food & Beverage Adds AED 228M: Lifestyle Tourism Trends Rise
Complementing room revenue, food and beverage services contributed AED 228 million—roughly 37% of the total hospitality haul. This signals increased visitor engagement beyond lodging, aligning with Abu Dhabi’s broader vision to be a lifestyle-first destination. The evolving culinary scene, high-end dining concepts, and experiential F&B offerings continue to support Abu Dhabi Hospitality Recovery efforts through diversification.
1.2M Guest Nights: Sustained Occupancy Across 171 Hotels
With 171 hotel establishments and 34,341 rooms in operation, Abu Dhabi recorded over 1.2 million guest nights in March, translating to a 69% average occupancy rate. This level of performance underlines the operational resilience of the sector and its ability to accommodate rising demand while maintaining service standards. The results reflect growing traveler confidence and strategic brand repositioning across hotel categories.
Guest Origin Insights: 152K Non-Arab Asians, 123K Europeans
Demographic data reveals that non-Arab Asian travelers led international arrivals, totaling 152,000 visitors, while Europeans followed closely with 123,000 guests. UAE nationals accounted for 58,000 stays, showing continued domestic support. The multi-market appeal reflects Abu Dhabi’s effective outreach and air connectivity initiatives, particularly in key Asia and Europe corridors—two pillars in the Abu Dhabi Hospitality Recovery trajectory.
Five-Star Hotels Lead with 205K Guests, RevPAR Gains
High-end segments outperformed other categories, with five-star hotels welcoming 205,000 guests. Four-star establishments recorded 119,000 visitors, and serviced apartments hosted 38,000 stays. This tiered breakdown offers insights into traveler preferences—luxury tourism remains robust, especially among European visitors, while more budget-conscious accommodations also experienced steady flow.
Strategic Outlook: AED 90B GDP Target by 2030
These indicators resonate with the strategic goals outlined in Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which envisions:
- 39.3 million annual visitors
- 50,000 hotel rooms
- 178,000 new tourism jobs
- AED 90 billion GDP contribution from tourism
March’s performance suggests the emirate is well-positioned to meet these ambitions, with data-backed momentum driving the ongoing Abu Dhabi Hospitality Recovery.
