UAE – Mubasher: Almost 6,500 additional major hotels are likely to open in the UAE by the end of 2019 ahead of Expo 2020, according to a recent report by Colliers International.

With Yas Bay Arena and Clymb anticipated to open this year and SeaWorld by 2022, leisure and sports tourism in the UAE’s capital is expected to witness further improvements in the coming years.

Meanwhile, Ras Al Khaimah carries on the focus on adventure and eco-tourism development, the report said, pointing out that “the authorities recently partnered with Mantis Group to open a luxury camp project at Jebel Jais.”

During the first quarter of 2019, Abu Dhabi hospitality market has seen an 11% growth in average daily rate (ADR), as compared to the same quarter in 2017 and 2018.

By the beginning of 2019, the UAE hosted the AFC Asian Cup which has boosted the ADR levels in Abu Dhabi hotels.

However, all other markets in the UAE “experienced rate compression and a drop in occupancy in Q1 2019,” Colliers International noted.

Two luxury properties; namely, the W Dubai and the Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah Beach, opened in Dubai in Q1-19, bringing the total of newly opened keys in the emirate to 1,626.