Dubai’s need for staycations during pandemic

As international travel finds itself in the everchanging crossfire of quarantine rules and COVID-19 case counts, staycations have become drivers of early occupancy gains that have emerged during the pandemic. Dubai, a hub of international travel, has seen a greater occupancy hit when compared with neighbouring markets, which made the strong occupancy increase over the Eid Al-Adha weekend even more heartening for accommodation providers in the market.  

Dubai needs strong staycation performance more than most

Compared to other leading global destinations, Dubai “normally” requires a larger proportion of international travellers to fuel its accommodation sector. With the troubles that plague cross border travel in the COVID world, staycations will become the most reliable driver of occupancy for the foreseeable future.

Dubai’s reliance on long-haul travel is mirrored in Abu Dhabi, highlighting the United Arab Emirates’ place as a travel hub as well as the vulnerability of destinations around the country while the pandemic is ongoing.

Occupancy spiked during Eid Al-Adha

It was good news for hotels when, over the Eid Al-Adha weekend, occupancy reached 55%, well above the lockdown period average. This performance was driven by staycations from UAE residents.

Occupancy trends upward in the subsequent weeks

The staycation boost has helped to move the occupancy trend in the right direction, with the following weeks seeing average occupancy around 40%. This is proof that staycation-driving events offer an opportunity to make longer lasting occupancy gains.

For further insights into COVID-19’s impact on global hotel performance, visit our content hub.