Atlantis expects occupancy level to cross 90 per cent in 2011

Dubai, June 9, 2011 (WAM) - Atlantis, The Palm, is expecting occupancy rates to reach 90 per cent in 2011 compared to 83 per cent last year on back of increasing number of tourists from China and India, according to a senior company executive.
“We are forecasting close to 90 per cent occupancy rate this year… We are ahead of our forecast and budget in general. Dubai is doing much better as a destination,” Chief Operating Officer Serge Zaalof told Emirates 24|7.
“Last year, we had 1.08 million guests staying at the hotel. This year we expect the number to cross 1.1 million,” he added.
This week, Dubai Statistics Centre said the number of hotels guests in Dubai surpassed 1.8 million in the first quarter this year, registering 14 per cent growth compared to same period last year .
Asked if new hotels coming up on The Palm were increasing competition for Atlantis, Zaalof said: “We don’t take that as a threat… we take that as a good thing… as a challenge. Besides, it is good thing for as tourists as they get different brands and leads to a healthy competition.”
Although tourists from the European countries and GCC constitute the existing clientele for Atlantis, the hotel expects numbers to increase from India, China and Indonesia.
“Of course, our existing market is very much Europe and the GCC, but India and China hold enormous potential for us,” he added.
Deloitte and STR Global in a recent report said occupancy levels in Dubai rose 8.7 per cent to reach 81.3 per cent in April ,as revenues per available room (RevPAR) touched US$217, jumping 13.3 per cent.
Hotel occupancy in the Middle East increased 2.3 per cent to 69.1 per cent while rates outpaced those in Europe (US$94), Asia Pacific (US$93) and the Americas (US$63). - Emirates 24|7