Qatar hotel industry records higher occupancy in December 2023

Qatar's hospitality sector witnessed higher occupancy year-on-year in December 2023, even as rooms yield declined, according to the official estimates.
The country's overall hospitality sector saw higher than average growth in occupancy in the three and four-star hotels as well as standard and deluxe hotel apartment categories, according to the Planning and Statistics Authority data.
In December 2022, the FIFA World Cup had seen a drastic surge in demand and therefore the average room tariffs, resulting in a spiralling rooms yield at that time.
The occupancy in December 2023 comes amidst 518,856 visitor arrivals in the said month. On a yearly basis, the total visitor arrivals declined 15.4% but grew 31.9% month-on-month in the review period.
The visitor arrivals from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) constituted 171,035 or 33% of the total, Europe 144,642 (28%), other Asia (including Oceania) 114,296 (22%), other Arab countries 39,719 (8%), Americas 34,972 (7%), and other African countries 14,192 (3%) in December 2023.
On an annualised basis, the visitor arrivals from the GCC rose 30%; while those from other Arab countries declined 54.8%, Americas 48.9%, Europe 40.3%, other African countries 37.7% and other Asia (including Oceania) 14.7% in December 2023.
On a month-on-month basis, the visitor arrivals from Europe shot up 81.8% and other Arab countries by 50.4%; whereas those from other African countries plummeted 124.4%, Americas by 63.9%, other Asia (including Oceania) by 45.6% and the GCC by 5.5% in the review period.
Qatar's hospitality sector saw a 12% year-on-year increase in occupancy to 72%, even as revenue per available room plunged 75.52% to QR307 as the average room rate declined by 79.7% to QR425 in December 2023.
The five-star hotels' occupancy rose by 10% to 67% but rooms yield plummeted 76.9% to QR405 as average room rate shrank 80.43% to QR605 in the review period.
The four-star hotels saw a 13% higher occupancy to 75% but revenue per available room tanked 74.66% to QR168 as average room rate plunged 79.03% to QR224 in December 2023.
The three-star hotels' occupancy shot up 16% to 91% even as rooms yield declined 71.43% to QR168 as average room rate fell 76.12% to QR186 in the review period.
The two-star and one-star hotels' occupancy was up 2% to 90% but rooms yield contracted by 61.02% to QR145 as average room rate decreased by 61.79% to QR162 in the last month of 2023.
The deluxe hotel apartments registered a 16% surge in occupancy to 76%, whereas revenue per available room fell 72.38% to QR279 on 78% shrinkage in average room rate to QR368 in the review period.
In the case of standard hotel apartments, occupancy was higher by 21% to 73% but rooms yield dropped 74.11 to QR167 as average room rate plummeted 81.72% to QR228 in December 2023.