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Coldplay concert in Abu Dhabi sparks hotel price surge; rooms fully booked this weekend

Occupancy rates in Dubai have reached 85% in key areas such as Dubai Marina, Dubai Investment Park, Expo City

Published: Thu 9 Jan 2025, 11:25 AM

Updated: Thu 9 Jan 2025, 6:14 PM

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British rock band Coldplay performs at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, Austria on August 21, 2024. Photo: AFP

British rock band Coldplay performs at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, Austria on August 21, 2024. Photo: AFP

Hotels in Abu Dhabi have seen a 30-per-cent increase in pricing, with full occupancy this weekend, as the emirate readies to host four back-to-back concerts by British rock band Coldplay. This has led to people flocking to short-term rental properties in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, according to real estate company Allsopp and Allsopp.

Figures revealed by the company show that occupancy rates in Dubai have reached 85 per cent in key areas such as Dubai Marina, Dubai Investment Park, Expo City, and locations along the route to Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, travel search company Expedia revealed that searches for hotel stays in the UAE surged by 335 per cent in 2025, compared to the same period in 2023.

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Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour begins in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, January 9 at the Zayed Sports City Stadium. The remaining concerts will be held at the same venue on January 11, 12, and 14. Tickets were sold out in minutes, and fans from other parts of the world are flying in to attend the event, as reported by Khaleej Times.

According to Lewis Allsopp, chairman of the group, this is in line with previous trends. "In 2023, we saw similar trends with concerts like Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran. This resulted in a 60 per cent increase in inquiries for short-term rentals, whilst Ed Sheeran's Abu Dhabi performance created bookings throughout Dubai," he said.

As per the company's data, larger properties, particularly two and three-bedroom units, are experiencing the highest demand as groups of fans look for cost-effective shared accommodation.

Vinayak Mahtani, CEO of bnbme holiday homes, confirmed that there had been a lot of overnight bookings coming in the past few days, mainly due to the Coldplay concert.

“In Dubai, we’re seeing a last-minute surge in demand. A lot of people are coming from outside the UAE and they’re staying in Dubai, making a trip to the concert and coming back because of the wide offering that Dubai offers to visitors,” he said.

Downtown and Palm Jumeirah are the most popular choices for visitors, Mahtani said.

“We have seen a spike in [interest for] beach properties like the Palm, as well as Downtown. Larger properties — like three- and four-bedroom apartments, penthouses and villas – are mainly seeing the spike. Most of the bookings are for three to four nights. In addition, there is also a good demand from Russians for Orthodox Christians,” he added.

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