Doha witnesses impressive growth in number of visitors

HIA Qatar

Qatar witnessed a massive year-on-year jump in visitors, especially from GCC states and and Arab countries in July this year.

According to the Planning and Statistics Authority, this has been reflected in enhanced occupancy in the hospitality sector, particularly in the three-star category.

The total number of visitors was 38,289 in July 2021 against 1,836 in the previous year period, which witnessed restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic.

It showed a 57.6 per cent growth compared to June this year. The number of visitors from the GCC was 14,641 in July 2021 against 137 in the year-ago period. Such visitors registered 65.9 per cent expansion month-on-month in the review period. Visitors from the Gulf region accounted for 38 per cent of the total in the review period.

Visitor arrivals measure non-residents travelling to Qatar on a short-term basis for all purposes. It includes arrivals at borders under different 15 visa classes, including all businesses and leisure visa types (excluding work visas).

Of the total 38,289 people arrived, more than 75 per cent came via the airport; 22 per cent by road and the remaining 3 per cent by sea.

Visitors from other Asia (including Oceania) stood at 19,587 in July this year against 892 in the corresponding period of 2020. On monthly basis, growth was 78.8 per cent. The visitors from this region accounted for 51 per cent of the total arrivals in July this year.

Visitors from the other Arab countries were 875 in July 2021 compared to 40 in the previous year period. However, it had seen a 32.7 per cent decline month-on-month. Visitors from this region constituted 2 per cent of the total visitor arrivals in July 2021.

Visitors from the Americas stood at 795 in July 2021, which represented an 18-fold jump from 45 in July 2020. It had seen a 51.4 per cent growth on a monthly basis. Visitors from the Americas accounted for 2 per cent of the total in the review period.

Visitors from the European countries grew more than three-fold year-on-year to 2,180 in July 2021. It saw a 51.4 per cent rise month-on-month. Visitors from this region accounted for 6 per cent of the total in July 2021.

Visitors from other African countries more than tripled year-on-year to 211 people this July. On a monthly basis, it nevertheless declined 15.9 per cent. Visitors from this region accounted for 1 per cent of the total in the review period.

Hotels and hotel apartments

Hotels and hotel apartments showed a robust performance in July with the overall occupancy rate at 60 per cent compared to 40 per cent in July 2020.

In the five-star category, the occupancy was 55 per cent in July 2021 (42 per cent in July 2020), four-star 62 per cent (52 per cent), three-star 89 per cent (60 per cent) and two and one star 82 per cent (50 per cent).

In the case of deluxe hotel apartments, the occupancy was 60 per cent compared to 50 per cent the previous year period and standard hotel apartments 78 per cent (50 per cent).

Revenue available per room across the board has been QR278 in July 2021 compared to QR186 a year-ago period. In the case of five-star, it was QR417 (QR259), four-star QR144 (QR108), three-star QR164 (QR88) and two and one star QR119 (QR65).

In the case of deluxe hotel apartments, the revenue available per room stood at QR195 (QR159) and it was QR138 (QR97) for standard hotel apartments in July 2021.

The average room rate in the hotel and hotel apartments stood at QR463 in July 2021 compared to QR391 in the corresponding period of 2020. The average room rate in the five-star category was QR764 (QR619), four-star QR233 (QR207), three-star QR184 (QR147) and two and one star QR145 (QR128).

In the case of deluxe hotel apartments, the average room rate was QR327 (QR316) and it was QR177 (QR193) in the case of standard hotel apartments in the review period.