Qatar’s Hospitality Sector Sees Improved Room Yield in September: NPC

Ahead of the cruise season, Qatar saw a robust double-digit year-on-year growth in tourist inflow - especially from the Gulf, Europe and the Americas - this September; as its hospitality sector saw improved room yield, particularly in five-star hotels and deluxe hotel apartments, according to the official estimates.

The buoyancy in the hospitality sector came amidst 314,597 visitor arrivals in September 2024 with those coming by land reporting the fastest growth. 

On a yearly basis, the total visitors rose 27.3% year-on-year but fell 4.1% month-on-month in the review period.

The visitors from the Gulf Co-operation Council or GCC were 121,427 or 39% of the total, other Asia (including Oceania) 79,112 (25%), Europe 58,546 (19%), other Arab countries 25,334 (8%), Americas 22,644 (7%) and other African countries 7,534 (2%) in September 2024.

On an annualised basis, the visitor arrivals from the GCC reported the fastest growth at 43.3%, followed by Europe at 32.1%, the Americas at 27.5%, other Arab countries at 22.3%, other African countries at 12.8% and other Asia (including Oceania) at 8.5% in the review period.

On a month-on-month basis, the visitor arrivals from the Americas declined 19.8%, Europe by 17.1%, the GCC by 8.9% and other African countries by 7.3%; whereas those from other Asia (including Oceania) rose 20.5% and other Arab countries by 14.3% in September 2024.

Of the total tourists inflow, those coming by air was 202,533, reporting an annual growth of 19.14%; land 110,304 (45.84%) and sea 1,760 (17.33%) in the review period.

Visitor arrivals measures non-residents travelling to Qatar on a short-term basis. It includes arrival at border under 15 different visit visa classes, including all business and leisure visa types (excluding work visas).

Qatar's hospitality sector saw a 17.39% year-on-year increase in revenue-per-available room to QR243 as occupancy improved by 5% to 63% and the average room rate by 6.39% to QR383 in September 2024.

The five-star hotels' room yield shot up 16.73% year-on-year to QR307 with occupancy rising by 6% to 57% and the average room rate by 4.88% to QR537 in the review period.

The four-star hotels saw revenue per available room jump 6.45% to QR132 as occupancy grew 7% to 64%; even as average room rate shrank 6.36% to QR206 in September 2024.

The three-star hotels' average room rate was seen flat year-on-year at QR166 but room yield was up 4.72% to QR133 as occupancy improved 4% to 80% in the review period.

The two-star and one-star hotels saw their revenue-per-available room decline 8.89% on an annualised basis to QR123 as occupancy fell 11% to 84% despite 2.82% jump in average room rate to QR146 in September 2024.

The deluxe hotel apartments registered a 26.42% year-on-year surge in room yield to QR244 with occupancy growing 10% to 72% and the average room rate by 9.35% to QR339 in the review period.

In the case of standard hotel apartments, occupancy tanked 19% year-on-year to 58% and the average room rate by 1.36% to QR218, plummeting revenue-per-available room by 26.32% to QR126 in September 2024.