Abu Dhabi’s 149 hotels and hotel apartments got 2014 off to a flying start with guest arrivals up more than a third against January 2013.

Figures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority show 276,970 guests checked into the emirate’s accommodation in January - a 36 per cent rise year-on-year. 

The arrivals collectively delivered 855,651 guest nights, a 26 per cent increase on the same month-by-month comparison. 

The UK maintained its place as the second largest overseas market with 15,208 Britons checking into Abu Dhabi’s hotels - up 24 per cent on 2013.

UK arrivals delivered 64,150 guest nights, an uplift of 12 per cent year-on-year with the average Briton staying over four nights.

Total occupancy for hotels rose to 77 percent - up ten per cent on January last year - and average room rates edged forward by two per cent to AED462.

Total hotel revenues climbed 22 per cent to AED522 million with food & beverage recording 21 per cent growth to AED194,013,640.

Breaking Travel News talks to Mubarak Al Nuaimi, director of promotion, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority about the organisation’s 2014 plans

“January reaped the benefits of the international holiday seasons and the hosting of many major events in the emirate including the World Future Energy Summit and the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship,” said HE Jasem Al Darmaki, deputy director general, TCA Abu Dhabi.

“This is an excellent start to a year.

“We have stretched our hotel guest target to 3.1 million per year following last year’s record breaking performance when we exceeded our hotel guest target and achieved our 2014 goal of 2.8 million.”