Strong H1 performance driven by exhibitions, leisure demand, and agile promotions across Dubai properties
Central Hotels & Resorts, one of the fastest-growing hospitality management companies in the UAE, has reported a strong first half of 2025, highlighted by a peak occupancy of 98% in February, marking one of its best-performing periods since the brand’s inception.
The impressive performance across the group’s three Dubai-based properties—Royal Central Hotel The Palm, C Central Resort The Palm, and Canal Central Hotel Business Bay, reflects growing demand from both international and regional markets, strategic campaign rollouts, and a well-calibrated business-leisure mix.
“The first six months of 2025 have been encouraging and rewarding,” said Abdulla Al Abdulla, Chief Operating Officer & Group General Manager of Central Hotels & Resorts. “From January through April, we saw consistent high occupancy across our properties, driven largely by strong interest from our key feeder markets, the return of high-impact citywide exhibitions, and our ability to respond quickly with relevant offers.”
While February recorded the highest occupancy at 98%, the overall first-half performance remained well ahead of 2024 levels. A significant factor behind this growth was the group’s alignment with Dubai’s Level 1 exhibitions and conferences, which brought a strong influx of business travellers to Canal Central Hotel in Business Bay.
Meanwhile, the leisure segment showed healthy growth, particularly across Palm Jumeirah properties. Central’s beachfront resorts welcomed a mix of families, couples, and solo travellers, many of whom were drawn to seasonal promotions like the Limited Time Deal and Getaway Deal, which offered attractive rates and value-adds during peak and shoulder periods.
Top source markets for the first half of the year included the United Kingdom, Germany, Saudi Arabia, CIS countries, and the UAE. The average guest stay ranged from three to seven nights, with the majority of guests opting for short escapes or mid-week getaways, indicating strong appeal among both GCC residents and international visitors.
Central Hotels & Resorts’ performance reflects a strategic synergy between location, segment targeting, and pricing agility. The Business Bay property maintained solid weekday bookings from corporate guests and exhibition delegates, while the Palm-based resorts capitalised on Dubai’s ever-growing appeal as a sun-and-sea destination, particularly for the European and GCC markets.
“The beauty of our portfolio is that it caters to a wide variety of guest needs without compromising on quality or value,” Al Abdulla noted. “Our strength lies in the ability to offer tailored hospitality, whether it’s for business meetings, family vacations, romantic escapes, or solo travel, within some of Dubai’s most iconic settings.”
Looking ahead, the group has already launched winter-themed packages to capture early interest for UAE National Day, the festive season, and New Year’s Eve. These offers have shown early momentum, signalling a positive trend for the second half of the year.
“With consistent demand, strong market sentiment, and proactive planning, we are confident that 2025 will close on a high note,” added Al Abdulla. “We remain committed to innovation, guest satisfaction, and supporting Dubai’s vision as a global destination.”