Travel Increases As 1.5 Million Hotel Guests Stay In Sharjah, An 11% Increase

With over 1.5 million visitors to the emirate in 2023, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) reported a substantial 11% increase in hotel guest counts. A notable increase in visitors from various regions led the way with a 36% increase, followed by the GCC countries at 17%, Australia, and the Pacific at 15%, further highlighting the sector’s sustainable growth.

The emirate’s position as a central international tourism hub was cemented when these most recent developments were revealed at a press conference hosted by SCTDA during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM 2024) in Dubai. The Sharjah Pavilion featured 27 public and private organizations, highlighting the most recent sustainable tourism attractions and the emirate’s all-encompassing approach to tourism development.

According to data released by the authority, there was a notable increase in hotel visitors from the GCC countries (apart from the UAE) in 2023. Approximately 250,000 guests checked in, 17% more than the 211,000 guests that visited in the previous year. With approximately 140,000 and 75,000 hotel guests, respectively, Oman and Saudi Arabia were the top Gulf sources of visitors, highlighting Sharjah’s deepening cultural and economic ties with its neighbors.