Business & Finance Club - Abu Dhabi: The capital city's hotels recorded a 16 per cent increase in guests in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2009.

Figures released by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) show some 936,579 guests stayed in the emirate's 116 hotels and hotel apartments from January to June this year with guest nights rising 11 per cent on the first half of 2009 to stand at 2.47 million.

"We are now well above our targeted annual growth of 10 per cent and have seen double-digit monthly growth since last November's staging of Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix," said Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General of ADTA.

The domestic market proved to be a mainstay during the first half recording a 20 per cent rise on the same period in 2009 and accounting for 397,547 guests.

The United Kingdom was the most productive overseas market with an 18 per cent rise on 2009 taking British guest arrivals to 60,994.

The GCC region again proved to be a key source market with guest arrivals growing by 30 per cent over the year to 52,505.