Sharjah hotel revenues grow 7.8% to Dh372 million

dubai – Sharjah’s hospitality sector revenues grew 7.8 per cent yearon-year to Dh372 million during the first half of 2017, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) said on Tuesday. The total number of guests for the first half of the year reached 885,000, representing a 3.5 per cent increase versus the same period in 2016.

Saudi nationals occupied many of the local hotels’ lists of top guests. During the first two quarters of the year alone, hotels received at least 72,000 Saudi travellers.

SCTDA reported 70 per cent occupancy rate from January to June this year.

Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, said: “Our goal is to draw 10 million visitors a year by 2021. To achieve this end, we will launch forward-thinking initiatives, bold projects and campaigns, as well as maximise all our assets and resources to place Sharjah, the UAE’s cultural capital, on the global tourism map and enhance its brand and profile on the international stage.”

According to Al Midfa, part of the strategic plan for this year is to sustain the high tourist arrivals from Saudi Arabia.

SCTDA has set into motion a number of road shows covering major cities in the KSA to highlight Sharjah’s popular tourist attractions and showcase its identity and rich traditions that have remained intact even in today’s modern times. — waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com