Hotel occupancy, rates and revenue continue drop in U.S.

Hotels in the U.S. posted a 1.4 decline in occupancy to 53.4 for the week of 30 August-5 September 2009 compared to the same period in the previous year.

The decline in occupancy was one of three declines in all three key performance measurements during the week according to Smith Travel Research (STR).

Average daily rate dropped 8.6 percent to finish the week at US$92.20 whilst revenue per available room for the week decreased 9.9 percent to US$49.28.

The market which reported the largest decreases in all three key metrics was Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota-Wisconsin, which hosted the Republican National Convention 1-4 September 2008.

Occupancy fell 21.9 percent to 61.5 percent while ADR fell 49.2 percent to US$89.22 and RevPAR decreased 60.3 percent to US$54.88.

Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Virginia, reported the largest double-digit occupancy increase, jumping 16.5 percent to 54.8 percent; ADR up 4.2 percent to US$94.93; and up 21.5 percent in RevPAR to US$51.98.

Atlanta, Georgia was the only other market to report an ADR increase, up 7.2 percent to US$87.62.