Research and Markets: United Arab Emirates Tourism Report Q4 2009 - Independent Forecasts & Competitive Intelligence on the United Arab Emirates' Tourism Industry

DUBLIN--(Business Wire)--
Research and Markets
(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/10e38a/united_arab_emirat) has
announced the addition of the "United Arab Emirates Tourism Report Q4 2009"
report to their offering.

The United Arab Emirates Tourism Report provides industry professionals and
strategists, corporate analysts, tourism associations, government departments
and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on
the United Arab Emirates' tourism industry.

Tourism Overview: After another year of strong growth in the number of foreign
tourists to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2008 (Estimated annual growth of
nearly 10% to around 9.7mn arrivals), recent data indicate a much weaker
picture. In Dubai the key emirate for arrivals figures for H109 show that almost
3.9mn tourists stayed at hotel establishments in Dubai, up by 5% year-on-year
(y-o-y), but representing a marked slowdown compared with about 14% y-o-y growth
in Q408. The better than expected outturn for tourist arrivals to Dubai is
partly due to promotional campaigns in key source markets such as the UK,
Germany, India, Russia, China, Japan and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.
In Sharjah, by contrast, there was a sharp deterioration in the number of
tourists staying at hotels in the first half of the year, down by 12% y-o-y.

Hospitality: The strong boom in the hospitality sector in the UAE of recent
years has come to an end. Dubai and Abu Dhabi recorded falls in hotel occupancy
rates during the first four months of 2009 of 16% and 7% y-o-y, respectively,
while more recent data for the first six months of the year show further
weakening in the sector in Sharjah. The total number of occupied room nights in
Sharjah was down marginally in H109 compared with the H108, with overall
occupancy rates at 64%.

Forecast Scenario: Taking on board the relatively modest growth in tourist
arrivals to Dubai in H109 and very disappointing data on visitors to Sharjah
over the same period, BMI maintains a rather poor outlook for the UAE tourism
sector in the short term. However, based on more favourable data than expected
from Dubai, we have edged up our forecast of negative growth in tourist arrivals
to the UAE as a whole from -3% to -2% y-o-y in 2009. This scenario also
underscores attempts by individual emirates to boost domestic tourism to
compensate for the downturn in foreign visitor arrivals. Recovery in growth in
arrivals is anticipated in 2010 and will pick up from 2011 (with stronger growth
rates than our earlier forecasts).

Air Arabia: Sharjah-based Air Arabia reported robust results for Q209, with net
profit up by 10% y-o-y to AED90mn (US$25mn). Passenger numbers in the first half
of the year also rose healthily, by an annual 20%, to almost 2.0mn. In September
2009, Air Arabia and the Middle East's largest travel and hospitality group,
Travco Group, announced a joint venture to launch a new low-cost carrier based
in Egypt. Air Arabia Egypt will serve European, African and Middle Eastern
markets.

Key Topics Covered:

* Executive Summary
* Swot Analysis
* Industry Forecast Scenario
* Market Overview - Travel
* Market Overview - Hospitality
* Business Environment
* Government And Regional Monetary Rate Policies
* Company Profiles
* Methodology

Companies Mentioned:

* Emirates Airline
* Etihad Airways
* Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH)

For more information visit
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/10e38a/united_arab_emirat

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager,
press@researchandmarkets.com
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

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