Sharjah Hotel Guests Surge 22% as Annual Revenues Reach $212 Million

Sharjah, UAE - Sharjah’s 102 hotels welcomed 2.1 million guests in 2025, an increase of 22% on the previous year, according to leading real estate advisory and property consultancy, Cavendish Maxwell.

Annual revenues rose 20% to reach AED780 million, with the average length of stay at 2 nights. Sharjah’s hospitality sector is currently operating at 78% occupancy, with an average daily rate (ADR) of AED305, the company said.

The impressive performance is driven by a 14% boost in passenger traffic at Sharjah International Airport, which handled 19.5 million travellers in 2025, and is aiming for 20 million annual passengers by 2027.

Cavendish Maxwell’s research on Sharjah’s hospitality and tourism sectors – part of a wider study on the emirate’s property market – also shows a shift from mid-tier accommodation to higher-end offerings.

Ali Siddiqui, Research Manager at Cavendish Maxwell, said: “Sharjah currently has 10,700 keys across 102 hotels, most of which are in the mid-tier sector, reflecting the emirate’s positioning as a mid-market tourism and business travel destination.

However, upcoming hotel supply is increasingly focusing on higher-end segments. Three luxury and upscale hotels with a total of 476 keys are planned between now and 2030, indicating a shift towards – and confidence in – more premium accommodation.

“Meanwhile, major infrastructure investment and expansion are further boosting tourism inflows and hospitality demand in Sharjah. An AED4.2 billion expansion is under way at Sharjah International Airport, where 8 new routes and 4 new airlines were introduced last year. In addition, the AED40 billion, 1,200km Etihad Rail network connecting Sharjah with key emirates, is set to unlock more hospitality sector growth,” he added.

Cavendish Maxwell’s Sharjah insight also shows that real estate transactions in the emirate hit a new annual record in 2025, with AED65.6 billion worth of sales, representing an increase of 64% on the previous year. The property sector also began 2026 with remarkable momentum, with Q1 transaction values rising 41% year-on-year to reach AED18.5 billion. Nearly 9,980 properties were sold in Sharjah between January and March 2026, a jump of 23% on Q1 last year.

Cavendish Maxwell added that real estate sales data takes several weeks to be reflected in official statistics, meaning that Q1 figures are for transactions signed both before and after the conflict began. Q2’s statistics, which will be available in the coming months, will give a much clearer picture of market direction.