Abu Dhabi has recorded its most successful year ever in terms of hotel guest arrivals with some 2,111,611 people staying in the emirate’s hotels and hotel apartments – beating its 2011 stretch target of 2 million by 6.5% or over 100,000 guests.

The highly encouraging result in a year which has seen substantial additions to Abu Dhabi’s hotel and resort inventory, including several five-star beach properties opening up Saadiyat Island to guests, leaves the emirate well placed to build for 2102.

Annual growth was recorded across a number of key metrics including: guest nights, which were up 22% to 6.3 million; occupancy levels which rose 7% to 69%; revenue, which rose 3% to AED 4.375 billion (US $ 1.2 billion) and length of stay which expanded 5% to 2.97 nights. Room revenue increased by 2% to AED2.3 billion (US $631 million), though the average room rate slipped by 14% to AED 490 (US $133), while food and beverage revenue increased by 6% to AED1.605 billion (US $434.721 million).