Qatar's hospitality sector saw an improved rooms' yield this April, mainly lifted by five-star hotels and deluxe hotel apartments, as visitor arrivals surged compared to the same month last year.
This was revealed by the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) in its Qatar Monthly Statistics bulletin.
The rosy scenario in the hospitality sector comes in view of a 231.5% annual increase in visitor arrivals, especially from the Americas, Europe and other African countries. Qatar received a total of 324,374 visitors in April.
On a monthly basis, however, the total visitor arrivals decreased by 25.1% in April 2023.
Qatar's overall hospitality sector saw a 25% year-on-year surge in average revenue per available room to QR210 in January 2023 as the average room rate jumped 15.03% to QR444 and occupancy by 3% to 47% in the review period.
The visitor arrivals from Europe were 149,733 or 46% of the total; followed by Americas 66,867 or 21%; other Asia (including Oceania) 58,781 (89.8%); other African countries 18,760 (6%); other Arab countries 18,486 (6%); and the Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC 11,747 (4%) in the review period.
The visitor arrivals from the Americas soared 1,013.2% and 151.7% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively; those from other African countries by 1,006.1% and 160.5%; and those from Europe by 648% and 30.6% in April 2023.
In the case of visitor arrivals from other Arab countries, they witnessed 107.5% increase on an annualised basis but declined 47.2% on a monthly basis. Similarly, those from other Asia (including Oceania) jumped 89.8% year-on-year but fell 31% month-on-month in the review period.
The visitor arrivals from the Gulf region were seen declining 61.2% and 92.9% year-on-year and month-on-month, respectively, in April 2023.
In the case of five-star hotels, the average revenue per available room increased 41.62% on annualised basis to QR279 in April 2023 as the average room rate grew 27.97% to QR668 and the occupancy by 4% to 42%.
The two-star and one-star hotels' average revenue per available room shot up 9.17% year-on-year to QR131 this April as the occupancy improved by 9% to 865 but the average room rate dipped 2.56% to QR152 at the end of April this year.
However, the average revenue per available room in the four-star hotels plummeted 12.5% on a yearly basis to QR105 in April 2023 as the occupancy plunged 7% to 43% although the average room rate was up 0.83% to QR243.
The three-star hotels saw an 8.53% year-on-year contraction in average revenue per available room to QR118 as the average room rate shrank 0.54% to QR184 and the occupancy by 6% to 64% in the review period.
The deluxe hotel apartments registered a 25.32% year-on-year surge in average revenue available per room to QR193 in April this year even as the average room rate in the category was seen gaining 2.53% on an annualised basis to QR365 and the occupancy by 10% to 53% in the review period.
In the case of standard hotel apartments, the room yield decreased by 1.33% year-on-year to QR148 this April as the occupancy plummeted 13% to 62% although average room rate zoomed 19% to QR223.