Middle East and Africa hotel performance for August 2016

Posted in Business, News on 29 September, 2016

Hotels in the Middle East reported mixed August 2016 results, while hotels in Africa posted mostly flat results in the three key performance metrics when reported in U.S. dollar constant currency, according to data from STR.

Compared with August 2015, the Middle East recorded a 2.3 per cent rise in occupancy to 65.2 per cent. However, average daily rate (ADR) was down 5.4 per cent to US$141.89, and revenue per available room (RevPAR) fell 3.3 per cent to US$92.54.

Africa experienced a 0.8 per cent increase in occupancy to 62.9 per cent, flat ADR at US$126.60 and a 0.9 per cent lift in RevPAR to US$79.60.

Performance of featured countries for August 2016 (local currency, year-over-year comparisons)

Kenya recorded a 9.3 per cent increase in occupancy to 60.3 per cent as well as double-digit growth in ADR (+11.5 per cent to KES15,969.23) and RevPAR (+21.8 per cent to KES9,631.80). The absolute ADR level was the highest on record for Kenya, and the absolute RevPAR level was the highest for the country since September 2012.

Oman saw a 3.0 per cent rise in occupancy to 49.2 per cent, but a 10.0 per cent drop in ADR to OMR57.65 dragged RevPAR down 7.3 per cent to OMR28.34. STR analysts point to low oil prices as well as a third straight month of double-digit supply growth as a reason behind the overall decline. Oman has reported a year-over-year decrease in ADR for 20 consecutive months.

The United Arab Emirates reported an increase in occupancy (+2.1 per cent to 73.4 per cent) but declines in ADR (-8.8 per cent to AED463.51) and RevPAR (-6.8 per cent to AED339.98). Demand (+5.1 per cent year to date) has remained well ahead of last year’s pace, but supply (+5.2 per cent YTD) continues to pressure rate in the region. ADR in the United Arab Emirates has decreased 20 consecutive months in year-over-year comparisons.

Performance of featured markets for August 2016 (local currency, year-over-year comparisons)

Cape Town, South Africa, posted increases across the key performance metrics: occupancy (+5.3 per cent to 63.1 per cent), ADR (+15.8 per cent to ZAR1,319.05) and RevPAR (+22.0 per cent to ZAR831.93). Occupancy in the market has grown 12 straight months in year-over-year comparisons, and ADR has grown 59 consecutive months. In addition to the devaluation of the South African Rand, hotels in the market have benefitted from a lack of supply growth (-0.8 per cent YTD).

Doha, Qatar, reported double-digit decreases in each of the metrics. Occupancy fell 11.2 per cent to 54.4 per cent; ADR was down 10.6 per cent to QAR353.71; and RevPAR dropped 20.6 per cent to QAR192.58. Significant supply growth (+12.1 per cent YTD) coupled with a drop in demand (-7.5 per cent YTD) and the oil crisis have led to 11 consecutive months of double-digit RevPAR decreases in Doha.

Muscat, Oman, reported decreases in each of the three metrics: occupancy (-6.3 per cent to 46.4 per cent), ADR (-9.6 per cent to OMR53.78) and RevPAR (-15.3 per cent to OMR24.94). Numbers in Muscat mirror that of the entire country with four consecutive months of supply growth at 12.4 per cent greatly pressuring performance in the market.