Sharjah reports 70% hotel occupancy rate during first five months of 2010
Veröffentlicht am: Mittwoch, Juli 07, 2010
Al Noman: We seek to target diversified international markets
The tourist flow in Sharjah is on the recovery path, showing an increase of 7 percent during the first five months of this year according to the latest report by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA).
"The total number of guests staying in the emirate's hotels and hotel apartments reached 637,390, a seven percent increase compared to the 594,105 guests reported for the same period in 2009," the report said.
Figures clearly demonstrate the resilience of Sharjah's tourism sector, which has seen steady progress due to firm and well-studied steps. The emirate will now continue to work on future plans to help increase the tourist flow into Sharjah.
According to SCTDA statistics, there was a slight growth in the tourism sector with a 70 percent hotel occupancy rate reported in the first five months of this year compared to the 67 percent recorded in the corresponding period of 2009.
The total number of guests staying in hotels was 317,288 in 2010 compared to 308,656 in 2009, with 320,102 guests staying in hotel apartments in the period under review (up from 285,449 in 2009).
Figures also show that the total number of room nights in Sharjah's hotels and hotel apartments rose to 671,097 in 2010, with hotel room nights accounting for 356,203 and hotel apartment room nights accounting for 314,894 compared to 621,910 room nights in the same period of 2009, with hotel room nights accounting for 341,496, and hotel apartment room nights accounting for 280,414.
The SCTDA's statistics show that European tourists accounted for 46 percent of the total tourist arrivals during the first five months of 2010, ranking first, while GCC tourists accounted for 25 percent of the total number of tourists who visited the emirate, ranking second. Tourists from Asian countries accounted for 14 percent, while tourists from other Arab countries accounted for 10 percent. Tourists from the Commonwealth, USA, Africa and Pacific region made up five percent.
Commenting on these figures, Mohamed A. Al Noman, SCTDA Director General, mentioned that these statistics are the inevitable results of Sharjah's distinct tourist offerings and products. The authority is striving to promote Sharjah at all international, regional and local events and exhibitions, he said.
"The SCTDA is focusing on a clear strategy based on targeting leading markets that are important for parties concerned with the tourism industry, as well as on organizing activities and events that would contribute directly to the promotion of tourism by taking part in the world's largest tourism and trade exhibitions and organizing promotional tours all over the world," Al Noman said.
On the SCTDA's activities, Al Noman said: "There is no doubt that the first five months of this year have seen diverse activities by the authority, which was keen on intensively and carefully targeting local, regional and international markets so as to meet the demands of the emirate's rapidly growing tourism market. He added that "such achievements would prompt us to step up our efforts and work dedicatedly to promote Sharjah as a distinguished tourist, heritage, cultural and family destination."
The SCTDA has made a strong and distinguished appearance for Sharjah at a number of international platforms during the first five months of 2010 − including its biggest and most distinct participation yet at the International Tourism Bourse Berlin where it won the best Arab world exhibitor − in addition to participating in major events such as the prestigious Sharjah Heritage Days.
The Authority also organized a number of orientation tours for representatives from the most prominent global tourism agencies in the emirate, as well as for media representatives and a number of delegations visiting Sharjah, as part of its promotional strategy aimed at educating them on the attractions that make Sharjah an ideal tourist destination. This was done in order to attract more tourists from all over the world.
Furthermore, the SCTDA in co-operation with Air Arabia and representatives from the emirate's tourism sector, organized a promotional tour across a number of European capitals and held meetings with tourism companies in Turkey, Belgium, Greece, Kazakhstan and the Ukraine, where extreme attention was paid by these European tourism and travel companies and agencies as to what makes Sharjah such a unique destination on the world tourism map.