GCC visitors enhance Qatar tourism growth In November: PSA

Qatar’s tourism sector witnessed a robust growth month-on-month in November 2023, mainly on substantial jump in visitors from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), other Arab nations and the Europe.However, the country saw a substantial decline in visitors on an annualised basis since November 2022 which had seen increased footfalls in view of the FIFA World Cup, said the figures released by the Planning and Statistics Authority.The visitor arrivals from the Gulf Co-operation Council or GCC stood at 181,068 or 46% of the total, Europe 79,580 (20%), other Asia (including Oceania) 78,509 (20%), other Arab countries 26,417 (7%), Americas 21,342 (5%), and other African countries 6,325 (2%) in November last year.On a month-on-month basis, the visitor arrivals from the GCC shot up 131.8%, other Arab countries by 12.2% and Europe by 4.6%; whereas those from other African countries declined 12.3%, other Asia (including Oceania) by 4.1% and Americas by 3% in the review period.On an annualised basis, the visitor arrivals from the GCC zoomed 41%, while those from Americas plummeted 84.3%, other Arab countries by 69.1%, other African countries by 54.6%, other Asia (including Oceania) by 31.8% and Europe by 29.8% in November 2023.The period in review painted a gloomy picture for the hotel industry on an annualised basis with rooms’ yield plunging substantially despite higher occupancy levels.The decline in revenue-per-available room was owing to an across the board shrinkage, particularly in the five and four-star as well as hotel apartments categories in the review period.The weakened rooms’ yield year-on-year comes amidst 393,241 visitor arrivals, which registered a 33.5% year-on-year decrease but surged 36.1% month-on-month respectively in November 2023.Qatar’s hospitality sector overall saw a 71.95% year-on-year plunge in average revenue per available room to QR287 and the average room rate by 77.88% to QR404, even as occupancy improved by 15% to 71% in November 2023.The five-star hotels witnessed the average revenue per available room plummet 72.69% year-on-year to QR373 as average room rate tanked 78.65% to QR554; while the occupancy soared 14% to 67% in the review period.The average revenue per available room in the four-star hotels decreased 71.78% on a yearly basis to QR162 in November 2023 as the average room rate were lower by 76.97% to QR231, but the occupancy zoomed 13% to 70%.The three-star hotels saw a 67.27% year-on-year contraction in average revenue per available room to QR163 as the average room rate shrank more than three-fourth to QR184, even as the occupancy rose 23% to 89% in the review period.The two-star and one-star hotels’ average revenue per available room declined 52.66% year-on-year to QR151 last November October as the average room rate tanked 57.81% to QR162, even as the occupancy grew 10% to 93% at the end of November 2023.The deluxe hotel apartments registered a 70.14% year-on-year contraction in average revenue available per room to QR269 in November 2023 as the average room rate dipped 76.59% to QR360, whereas the occupancy was seen jumping 16% to 75% in the review period.In the case of standard hotel apartments, the room yield weakened by 74.48% year-on-year to QR161 as the average room rate tanked 80.52% to QR234; while the occupancy by 16% to 69% in November 2023.