Hotel Occupancy in Middle East / Africa Drops 11.5% in May 2009

According to the latest data compiled by STR Global, the Middle East / Africa region’s hotel occupancy levels in May 2009 dropped 11.5% year-on-year to 63.1%. The average daily rate decreased 6.1% to US$145.67, while revenue per available room decreased 17% to US$91.99.

“Although they have seen some spectacular year-on-year decreases, the Middle East / Africa region is still very strong compared with the other global regions,” said James Chappell, managing director of STR Global. “The region has the lowest RevPAR decline and the highest actual RevPAR for the month of May and the year-to-date May, compared with Asia / Pacific, Americas and Europe. The market has fallen 17%, posting US$92 RevPAR for the month and US$100 RevPAR year-to-date, as hotels kept their average room rates higher in the face of a strong drop in demand.”

“Of the 26 markets and countries on our Middle East / Africa Hotel Review, political stability in Kenya and Lebanon has seen the hotel market come back strongly with 82% and 144% RevPAR increases year-to-date,” Chappell added. “Jeddah, Abu Dhabi and Amman also bucked the trend and reported RevPAR increases for the month and year-to-date.”

Highlights from key markets in the Middle East/Africa region (percentages are May 2009 v May 2008):

• Beirut, Lebanon, reported the largest increase in both occupancy (+148.4% to 71.4%) and RevPAR (+194.6% to US$118.89).

• Excluding Beirut, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was the only market to experience an increase in occupancy, which rose 5.5% to 71.4%.

• Muscat, Oman, was down in occupancy 23.7% to 52.1%, reporting the largest decrease in that metric.

• Amman, Jordan, experienced the largest increase in ADR, rising 21.6% to US$162.22. Beirut was the only other market to experience a double-digit increase in ADR, up 18.6% to US$166.40.

• Two markets reported ADR decreases of more than 25%: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (-30.3% to US$211.41) and Istanbul, Turkey (-26.4% to US$211.06).

• Three markets reported RevPAR decreases of more than 25%: Dubai (-40.4% to US$140.65); Istanbul (-36.3% to US$148.87); and Muscat (-28.6% to US$116.22).