DUBAI - Revenues and occupancy levels continued to fall at hotels across the Middle East and Africa during October, led by those in the United Arab Emirates, STR Global said on Tuesday.
The hospitality research firm said revenue per available room (RevPAR), a key measure of hotel performance, declined 10.2 percent to $114.10 compared to the year-earlier period, while occupancy dropped 8.5 percent to 68.3 percent.
Hotels in the UAE were the worst performers, witnessing RevPAR tumble 32.1 percent to $194.5 and occupancy slump 10 percent to 74.4 percent.
Muscat also saw a significant fall in RevPAR, down 27.9 percent to $178.39, and occupancy, which dropped 17.3 percent to 66.1 percent.
STR put the steep declines in the UAE and Muscat down to bumper business in October last year.
The global economic crisis has hit the hospitality industry hard, with people postponing discretionary travel in hard times and businesses cutting on travel to save costs.
The falls in October follow declines in previous months, with the summer particularly slow for hotels in the Gulf due to the searing temperatures.
Saudi Arabia bucked the downward trend for the month as revenues and occupancy rose thanks to the pilgrimage season, which sees millions of Muslims from around the world descend on the kingdom.
Saudi hotels saw RevPAR rose 3.7 percent to $86.9, while occupancy climbed 4.3 percent to 47.5 percent.
Beirut hotels also witnessed another positive month, with a 16.5 percent jump in RevPAR to $154.31 and a 7.4 percent rise in occupancy to 83.5 percent.
