Hotel revenues in Dubai, the Gulf's largest tourism destination, grew 15.74 per cent touching Dh12.5 billion in 2007, up from Dh10.8 billion in 2006, according to a top government official.
Khalid A. Bin Sulayem, director-general of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said Dubai's tourism industry is booming with stellar performance each passing year.
He said the total investments in tourism projects in the UAE stands at Dh858 billion, of which Dh454 billion are in Dubai, out of a staggering Dh1 trillion worth of tourism projects in the Gulf region.
With this, tourism projects in Dubai represents about 45.4 per cent and the UAE represents 85.8 per cent in value of all the tourism projects in the GCC.
Tourism sector's direct contribution to Dubai's economy is estimated at around 18 per cent while, indirectly its contribution is nearly 30 per cent.
According to statistics, an all-time record 6.5 million guests stayed with Dubai hotels in 2006 whose numbers touched 414.
There was a 6.9 per cent increase in hotel rooms and flats during the same year, bringing the total to 40,862.
Dubai scored a world record when its hotel establishments recorded the highest occupancy and revenues in the month of January 2007, leaving behind Hong Kong, Sydney, Tokyo and London in occupancy levels.
The hotel occupancy levels in January were Dubai (85 per cent), Hong Kong (83.8 per cent), Sydney (76.6 per cent), Tokyo (73 per cent) and London (71.5 per cent).
" Dubai already enjoys a high occupancy rate among the world's top tourism destination. The continuous demand is going to drive the tourism industry further," Shujaat Yar, Area director for sales and marketing of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, UAE, told Gulf News.
"The demand is higher than the hotel supplies that are coming in. However, we are optimistic for 2008 as hotels will deliver similar results."
Dubai has a target to serve 15 million visitors per year by 2010. The new hotel projects will help it to achieve the target.