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Every month we will publish how the portfolio of short-term rentals we manage in Dubai has performed. Real Dubai short-term rental occupancy from our own reporting, not an estimate based on listings. This is the first instalment, for August 2026.
We are talking about short-term stays, meaning holiday homes priced per night. How they differ from an annual lease is covered in our comparison of short-term and long-term rentals.
Table of Contents
August 2026 in numbers
| Indicator | August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Portfolio occupancy | 77.45% |
| Nights sold | 2,545 |
| Average nightly rate | 208.51 AED |
| New bookings created | 183 |
| Revenue spread over the month | from minus 6.8% to plus 6.2% |
How did CzechIn do in August?
Well, and in a month that does not make it easy. August is one of the hottest months of the year in Dubai, and demand is different from the winter season. Even so, the portfolio sold 2,545 nights and kept occupancy above three quarters.
The last row of the table says the most. Revenue was almost flat over the month: the strongest two-day stretch was only 13.9% above the weakest, and none deviated from the average by more than seven per cent. This means the month did not rest on one strong week and had no dead period that would have dragged the yield down.
How to read these figures
Each indicator comes with one point without which it can easily be misread. This explanation also applies to the figures you will see from your own property manager.
- Occupancy is the ratio of nights sold to nights available, not the average of the occupancy of individual apartments. A higher figure therefore does not mean that every unit is doing well. It can only be compared with occupancy calculated the same way over a period of the same length.
- The average nightly rate is the average rate as reported by the booking system. It is not revenue divided by the number of nights, which also includes cleaning and other items and would come out higher. It is also an average across studios and larger apartments, so it says nothing about a specific unit.
- The number of bookings measures demand, not yield. One hundred and eighty-three new bookings is roughly six a day, but longer stays mean fewer bookings and at the same time higher occupancy. A rising number of bookings at the same occupancy therefore signals shorter stays, not a better month.
- The revenue spread shows whether the month relies on a peak. The smaller the spread, the more evenly the calendar is filled. A large spread is typical of units that are sold out by one event or one long stay, and stand empty in between.
Where the guests came from
| Booking channel | Share of revenue | Share of nights | Share of bookings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | 77.99% | 73.0% | 63.93% |
| Booking.com | 16.97% | 19.7% | 20.22% |
| Direct bookings | 4.43% | 6.9% | 14.21% |
| Own booking website | 0.61% | 0.4% | 0.55% |
Three columns side by side say more than one. The difference between the share of bookings and the share of revenue is the length and price of the stay:
- Airbnb: 63.93% of bookings, but 78% of revenue. A single booking from here covers more nights and brings in more money. It is the channel for longer and more valuable stays.
- Booking.com: all three shares around 17% to 20%. It behaves most evenly, bringing roughly the same share of bookings, nights and revenue.
- Direct bookings: 14.21% of bookings, 4.43% of revenue. Shorter and cheaper stays, but without a platform commission, so the owner keeps a higher share of them.
In August, these four channels were joined by the first booking from Expedia and the first from a partner network. We manage distribution actively precisely so that occupancy does not depend on a single platform.
What to watch in the September instalment
From the next instalment, a comparison with the previous month will be added, because both exports will then have been taken with the same settings, so the difference between months will describe reality, not methodology. Three things will be interesting:
- Whether the nightly rate rises as the summer ends. The season in Dubai opens in autumn and peaks in winter; according to the Department of Economy and Tourism, last year's strongest month was December, the first month ever with more than two million visitors. This will show in the rate sooner than in occupancy.
- Whether the ratio of bookings to nights evens out. Shorter autumn stays would mean more bookings at similar occupancy.
- Whether the share of direct bookings grows. It is a channel without a platform commission, so every percentage point goes straight into the owner's yield.
More families with children are also heading to Dubai for the winter season. What is worth it by children's age, what tickets cost for a family and whether a hotel or an apartment pays off is covered in our article Dubai with kids in the 2026/27 season.
Where the figures come from
From our reporting in the Hostaway system for the period from 1 to 31 August 2026, for all managed units and all booking channels. These are figures for the portfolio as a whole, not for a single unit. What management involves, from cheques and Ejari registration to reporting guests, is covered in our article on property management fees in Dubai.
Do you own an apartment in Dubai? We will go through with you what occupancy and nightly rate are realistically within reach for your unit. Start on the property management page, or have a look at the rental offers these figures relate to, for example a studio in JVC. The offer and the terms are summed up on the apartment rentals in Dubai page.
Still choosing a property? Have a look at our selection of projects in Dubai, and we will discuss which type of unit pays off best in short-term rental.
Frequently asked questions
What was short-term rental occupancy in Dubai in August 2026?
The portfolio managed by CzechIn.ae had an occupancy of 77.45% in August 2026, with 2,545 nights sold. This is the ratio of nights sold to nights available across the whole portfolio, not the average occupancy of individual apartments, and it relates to short-term stays priced per night.
What was the nightly rate in Dubai in August 2026?
The average rate in the managed portfolio was 208.51 AED. It is not revenue divided by the number of nights, which also includes cleaning and would come out higher. It is an average across all unit types and areas, so it says nothing about a specific apartment.
Do more bookings mean a higher rental yield?
Not necessarily. The number of bookings measures demand, not money. Longer stays mean fewer bookings and at the same time higher occupancy; shorter stays the opposite. So always look at the number of bookings alongside occupancy and the average nightly rate. On its own, the figure reveals nothing about yield, because it does not distinguish a week-long stay from a single night.
Why track the revenue spread alongside occupancy?
Because it shows whether the month relies on one strong week. In August 2026, the strongest two-day stretch was only 13.9% above the weakest, so the calendar was filled evenly. A large spread is typical of units with empty gaps between stays, and it is a sign that there is room to work with pricing.
How often will these figures be published?
Once a month, always on the first Wednesday of the month and always for the previous month. The methodology and the indicators tracked will stay the same, so that the figures can be compared between months. August 2026 is the first instalment; from the next one, the overview will also include a comparison with the previous month.
