Sharjah's tourism and hospitality sector records 12% growth during first half of year

Earnings from hotels amount to more than Dh200 million with 46 per cent growth in room revenue

By Web Desk

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Top Stories

Supplied photos
Supplied photos

Published: Thu 27 Oct 2022, 7:04 PM

Sharjah’s tourism and hospitality sector witnessed a significant growth in the past year, and the launch of mega tourism facilities and projects reflect a strong and resilient economy, the tourism authority of the emirate announced on Thursday.

The first half of 2022 witnessed tremendous growth and expansion compared to the same period in 2021


This was announced during the annual hotelier meeting organised by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) at the Sheraton Sharjah Resort & Spa. The event brought together owners, operators and employees of hotel establishments and was attended by Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, Sheikh Salem bin Mohammed bin Salem Al Qasimi, Director of SCTDA, and other officials.

The figures for the first half of 2022 compared to the same period last year reveal that the tourism and hospitality sector has registered a 12 per cent increase in the number of hotel guests, in addition to an occupancy touching 66 per cent, representing a growth of nearly11 per cent.


SCTDA revealed that earnings from hotels amounted to more than Dh200 million in the first half of the year, showing a 50 per cent increase in the same period in 2021. Hotels also registered a 46 per cent growth in revenue per available room (RevPAR) to touch Dh136, driven by an average daily rate (ADR) growth of around 20 per cent at nearly Dh202.

According to statistics revealed by SCTDA, the emirate has more than 100 hotel establishments with around 10,000 rooms. These include 5-star hotels numbering 12 and comprising 950+ rooms; 4-star hotels numbering 20 and comprising 2,300+ rooms; and 33 hotels ranging between one and three stars, comprising 2,400+ rooms, in addition to 39 hotel-apartment facilities with 2,000+ rooms.

Visitors from GCC countries

There was a remarkable growth in the number of GCC tourists during 2022, which can be attributed to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

The Authority said that with 55,200+ hotels guests from Oman, the emirate witnessed an almost 10-fold increase in the number of Omani guests in the first half of 2022 compared to slightly more than 5,900 guests in the same period in 2021.

Sharjah also registered 31,500+ hotels’s guests from Saudi Arabia, compared to 7,000+ Saudi guests in 2021 during the same period.

The number of Russian hotels’ guests touched nearly 56,000 while 75,600 guests came from India during the first half of 2022.

Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA stressed that the launch of several key tourism facilities and projects in the emirate is a clear indicator of the strength and resilience of Sharjah economy. “Diversity is one of the unique characteristics that distinguishes Sharjah, especially in its tourism offerings. From entertainment and events to culture, arts, adventures, and eco-tourism, among others, Sharjah provides a wide range of comprehensive attractions that provide the hospitality sector with significant opportunities for growth.”

Ahmed Obaid Al Tunaiji, Manager of the Tourism Standards Department at SCTDA, said: "Through this meeting, we aim to develop more tourist attractions, explore new opportunities and advance the emirate's hotel facilities to a competitive level that elevates Sharjah's share in the global tourism market."

Workshops for entities and individuals

During the meeting, SCTDA organised two introductory workshops on the Holiday Homes Project, which aim to offer an official framework of guidelines to Sharjah residents who wish to rent out places they own as holiday homes to tourists and visitors.

The second workshop showcased the training plans and opportunities for the working force in Sharjah hotel establishments, which also highlighted the importance of workshops in targeting entities and individuals across various sectors.


More news from