Indian placed 2nd in source markets for hotel guests in 2014

India is placed second in the top source markets for hotel guests in Dubai, registering a 12.2 per cent increase last year, according to a report.
Figures released yesterday by Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) show steady year-on-year growth and significant increases across key indicators, including hotel establishment revenues and guest nights.
India is placed second in the total number of guests who checked in to hotels last year.
For January to December 2014, Saudi Arabia was once again the top source market, followed by India, UK, USA, Iran, Oman, China, Kuwait, Russia and Germany, the report said.

India (ranked 2nd) and the UK (ranked 3rd) also showed significant increases in the number of hotel guests, rising 12.2 per cent and 11.3 per cent respectively, it said.
"The 2014 figures demonstrate healthy year-on-year growth for hotel establishment guest numbers with significant increases from Asia, Africa and Western Europe," said Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of DTCM.

"Such events, as well as our hosting of the largest ever tourism industry FAM trip from India in December 2014 and steps taken to leverage the exemption of pre-entry visas for all European Union member states, are crucial to further strengthen ties with key markets," Almarri said.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts enjoyed a healthy and robust year in 2014 with average occupancy in Dubai over 80 per cent across our Shangri-La and Traders brands, said Rob Weeden, Vice President Sales & Marketing - EMEA, India and Indian Ocean, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.
"We currently own and/or manage nearly 90 hotels worldwide with a room inventory of 37,000," he said.