India sustained its ranking as the second-largest international source market for Abu Dhabi's hotels after the UK, a new data has revealed.

Hotel guests from India to the UAE capital registered 45% rise to 10,924, delivering 37,559 guest nights, which was up 17% month-on-month, according to the latest figures released by the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.

The number of guests at Abu Dhabi's 127 hotels, hotel apartments and resorts rose 29% in January this year compared to the same month last year, it said. 

"We are hopeful of further improving on arrivals from India, having recently hosted a major inbound familiarisation trip for a delegation from the Travel Agents Association of India, staged a five-city road show throughout the republic and completed a highly successful showing at the SATTE travel fair in New Delhi," Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, said.

Last month some 198,139 guests stayed in Abu Dhabi with the number of guest nights also rising, this time by 20% to 571,672.

European guests increased 30% last month on January 2010 with Germany turning in a strong 64% increase to 9,204 to make the country Abu Dhabi's third largest international source market.

"The strong increase in guest arrivals and guest nights appears to have been significantly influenced by January's dynamic events calendar, which included the hosting of the Volvo Ocean Race and the fortnight of activities staged to coincide with it, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the World Future Energy Summit, which attracted some 650 exhibiting companies to Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre," Al Muhairi said.

Combined revenue for Abu Dhabi's hotels rose 11% last month compared to January 2011 to $111 million, while food and beverage revenue rose 18% during the same period to $42.3 million.