The hotel occupancy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recorded 79.5% from January to November 2025, with the average guest stay rising to 3.42 nights, according to the Hospitality Advisory Council’s first 2026 meeting.
The UAE’s hospitality sector continues to expand, with 1,260 hotels and approximately 216,900 hotel rooms, underpinning the sector’s significance for national tourism objectives.
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Chaired by UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the meeting brought together representatives from public and private sectors, including leading hotel executives.
The council assessed new tourism measures intended to support sustainable growth in the UAE’s hotel industry for this year. The agenda also covered regional and global hotel performance trends alongside supply and demand forecasts.
He outlined council priorities such as refining revenue management strategies, flexible pricing, diversifying source markets, strengthening resilience amid global shifts, developing long-stay accommodation, and attracting high-spending visitor groups to boost returns and length of stay.
Al Marri added that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourism is growing due to major events, infrastructure development, and expanding quality investments.
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By GlobalDataThe meeting also discussed tourism products for seniors, long-term winter residency, senior-friendly destinations, wellness packages, and reviewed ‘Family-Friendly Destination Guidelines’ for safe, inclusive environments.
The Hospitality Advisory Council reviewed the latest developments regarding the UAE tourism policy review project, conducted in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The project focuses on assessing industry competitiveness, improving governance and institutional coordination, and creating a tourism data system to facilitate evidence-based decision-making.
Concluding, the council stressed ongoing collaboration to monitor bookings, analyse trends, enhance gross domestic product (GDP) contributions, and support sustainable economic growth.
Al Marri said: “The outstanding performance of the hospitality and hotel sector reflects the integrated nature of the UAE’s tourism ecosystem and highlights the active role of partnerships between public entities and the private sector.
“The next phase requires continued efforts under a precise data analytics methodology and balanced planning between supply and demand to ensure sustainable growth and reinforce the long-term competitiveness of this vital sector.”
