The number of tourists of various nationalities visiting Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah increased by 9.9 percent during the first half of the current year compared to the same period in 2016, reflecting the attractiveness of the three emirates to international tourists.

During the first six months of the current year, the average period of stay per guest increased by five percent while the hotel occupancy rate increased by one percent, according to statistics from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, which monitors the activities of the country’s various economic sectors.

The number of foreign tourists from the major markets witnessed considerable growth and the number of Russian tourists visiting Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah multiplied during the first half of the current year while the number of tourists from China, India and the Philippines also rose.

The number of visiting British tourists also registered an increase, despite the rising exchange value of the Dirham against the Pound.

The number of tourists in the emirate of Dubai increased by 10.9 percent during the first half of the current year, while Abu Dhabi and Ras al-Khaimah recorded a 7.2 percent and 6.5 percent growth, respectively.

The number of tourists from GCC countries to Dubai increased by 19 percent during the first half of the current year, while tourists from the Middle East rose by 12 percent, 21 percent from Western Europe and the USA and 97.5 percent from Russia. There was also an increase of around 54.7 percent Chinese tourists who usually represent over five percent of the total number of tourists in the emirate.

As for the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the number of tourists from China increased by 55.4 percent by the end of the first half of 2017, while the number of tourists from the Philippines grew by 10.4 percent. Indian and Jordanian tourists increased by eight percent and 2.6 percent, respectively.

Ras al-Khaimah saw an 83.7 percent increase in tourists from Russia, 223.2 percent from Poland, 80 percent from China, 20.8 percent from the UK, 21.7 percent from India, 20 percent from the USA and 16.2 percent from Kazakhstan, during the first half of the year.

Source: Wam