Dubai hotel revenues soar during a bumper July

Profits at Dubai’s upscale hotels rocketed in July this year as a result of a post-Ramadan surge in business.

Hoteliers at four- and five-star properties across the emirate reported significant increases in revenues for July 2015 compared to the same month in 2014, according to the latest data by hospitality intelligence firm HotStats.

The timing of the Holy Month of Ramadan, which was split between June and July 2015 and ending 10 days earlier than in July 2014, was a major contributing factor to profit growth.

It meant Eid Al Fitr was celebrated in mid-July, shifting demand patterns and pushing up occupancies.

This significant improvement in Gross Operating Profit Per Available Room (GOPPAR) was the result of an 8.7 percentage point reduction in operating costs combined with a surge in room revenues.

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) recorded double-digit growth of 18.3 percent and occupancy shot up 9.9 percentage points.

Hoteliers in neighbouring Abu Dhabi also witnessed a bumper July, although their profits were more modest than those of Dubai’s top performers.

Total revenue per available room (TRevPAR), which includes ancillary sales, was up in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai even though food and beverage sales softened at properties across both emirates. 

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) recorded double-digit growth of 18.3 percent and occupancy shot up 9.9 percentage points.