DUBAI, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Hotel occupancy rates in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), increased by 6 percent during this year's Eid al-Adha, or Islamic "Festival of Sacrifice," the UAE tourism authorities said Monday.

The occupancy stood at an average of 81 percent during the four-day holiday from Aug. 20-23, while the peak hit 87 percent on the second day of the holiday, said the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi in an e-mailed statement.

The uptick was due to Abu Dhabi's "appeal as a destination of distinction for family leisure and entertainment," the statement explained.

The holiday also witnessed a surge in visitors from both inside and outside the UAE, as travellers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Britain and the United States made up 55 percent of the total tourists.

Saif Saeed Ghobash, undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi, said the UAE was making strong progress in fulfilling target growth of guest arrivals for the year.

During these four days, Saudis accounted for most of the international visitors to the UAE, as it represented 9 percent of the travellers, followed by Indians and Britons with 8 percent respectively, and the Americans with 4 percent.

Earlier in July, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi announced a new cooperation with Airbnb, an online platform for accommodation providers, to promote Abu Dhabi's new tourism scheme known as "Emirati Experience."