Abu Dhabi’s 146 hotels and hotel apartments delivered ‘Best Ever’ May results last month with near across-the-board growth in key performance indicators.

Growth was recorded across guest arrivals, guest nights, average-length-of-stay, occupancy and revenues.

Last month 232,650 guests checked into the emirate’s accommodation – a rise of 21 per cent on May 2012, accounting for 716,041 guest nights, which is up 32 per cent on the month-to-month comparison.

“This is an extremely heartening result as we look to achieve a greater traction to balance our supply-and demand equation,” said HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, which compiles the monthly figures.

“We are particularly encouraged by growth in the average-length-of-stay, which has moved up nine per cent to 3.08 nights.

“This suggests that our campaign to convince travellers of our ‘more to see and do’ destination proposition is converting extended stays.

“While there is still much to be done, the results suggest we are on the right track.”

Occupancy rates nudged up seven per cent during May to 67 per cent with total revenues climbing 22 per cent to AED439.5 million, which represents a 22 per cent month-on-month growth.

Room revenues rose 23 per cent to AED205.15 million while food & beverage income grew 23 per cent to AED185.8 million.

Average room rate was the only non-climber, slipping a mere one per cent to AED401.

“India with its close proximity to Abu Dhabi and increasing air access emanating from Jet Airways’ move of its regional hub to Abu Dhabi International and the addition of services from Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi to the UAE capital, is an increasingly promising proposition for us,” said Al Muhairi.

“Following the landmark deal between Jet Airways and Etihad Airways, in which our own national carrier now owns as a 32 per cent stake in the Indian airline, we can look forward to opening additional Indian gateways to Abu Dhabi with services from Bangalore, Amritsar, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kolkata, Goa and Mangalore on the horizon further deepening our reach from the republic.”