DUBAI, Sept 5: The number of hotel guests in Abu Dhabi jumped 38 per cent year-on-year in July, boosted by arrivals from Gulf Arab and Middle Eastern countries ahead of Ramazan, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) said on Monday.

The gains also reflect a rise in hotel occupancy throughout the United Arab Emirates this year as some tourists changed travel plans in response to the unrest that has hit other countries in the region such as Syria, Bahrain and Yemen.

Occupancy levels in the hotels and hotel apartments of the oil-rich capital Abu Dhabi rose 9 points to 65 per cent in July and revenue was up six per cent at 271 million dirhams ($73.4 million), ADTA said.

“The regional upsurge could likely be attributed to (Gulf Cooperation Council) travellers opting to spend time in a destination they associate with safety for their families and with more of them choosing to holiday in July ahead of the holy month of Ramazan when they wish to be at home with their families,” said Lawrence Franklin, the ADTA's strategy and policy director.

Ramazan, which this year fell in August, and the Eid holiday that immediately follows it, included shortened working hours and large family gatherings to break the daily fast.

Numbers of guests from the GCC region rose by 98 per cent.

Abu Dhabi accounts for 55 per cent of the UAE economy and invests billions of dollars in industry, tourism and infrastructure to diversify away from oil.—Reuters