Hotel occupancy of the major hotels in Dubai soared up to 71% following an increased demand from business and leisure travelers looking to escape severe lockdowns back home last December.
STR analysis shows Dubai began booking up rooms again since the full impact of COVID-19 international travel restrictions and lockdowns took hold, slumping the booking rate to as low as 23% during most part of 2020.
At the end of 2020, the government agreed on a traveler corridor with the U.K., that would allow U.K. travelers to spend the holidays at their luxurious hotels.
However, it did not last long. On Jan. 12, the U.A.E. was officially removed from the U.K’s corridor list due to a 52% spike in coronavirus cases in only one week. To this day, people returning to the U.K. from the U.A.E. must self-isolate for 10 days.
The otherwise celebrated increase in international arrivals came at a price. The U.A.E. Ministry of Health and Prevention reported 3,432 new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 7 deaths.
The total number of cases in U.A.E. as on January 16 stands at 249,808 and the death toll rises to 740.
In pre-COVID-19 days, Dubai attracted around 16 million tourists per year and the government is determined to get them back with an ambitious vaccination roll out.
Dr. Walid Zaher, chief research officer and vaccine project leader of G42 Healthcare, has recently stated that the country is currently providing vaccines to every citizen and resident who wants to take them.
“Vaccine is available at all centers. There is enough to vaccinate the entire population,” he said at an interview in Abu Dhabi.
So far, 1.5 million doses have been administered at a rate of 15.45 per 100 people. Abu Dhabi Health Services Company “has opened up every facility possible to accommodate people coming to take the vaccine.” Said Zaher.