STR Reports U.S. Hotel Performance

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(News Source: Smith Travel Research)

(HENDERSONVILLE, TN) -- The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in all three key performance measurements during the week of 20-26 September 2009, according to data from STR.

In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy fell 7.2 percent to end the week at 59.8 percent. Average daily rate dropped 10.1 percent to finish the week at US$100.30. Revenue per available room for the week decreased 16.6 percent to finish at US$59.94.

Six of the Top 25 Markets reported increases in occupancy. Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Virginia (+4.9 percent to 54.3 percent), and Oahu Island, Hawaii (+4.9 percent to 79.7 percent), led the increases, followed by Denver, Colorado (+3.5 percent to 72.5 percent), New York, New York (+2.5 percent to 90.0 percent), Anaheim-Santa Ana, California (+2.4 percent to 69.2 percent), and Orlando, Florida (+0.3 percent to 48.9 percent). Houston, Texas, experienced the largest drop in occupancy, which decreased 37.8 percent to 52.9 percent, followed by New Orleans, Louisiana, with a 22.5-percent decrease to 49.4 percent.

Norfolk-Virginia Beach posted the smallest decrease in ADR, down 2.2 percent to US$86.04. Nashville, Tennessee, also reported an ADR decrease of less than 5 percent, falling 4.9 percent to US$95.11. Two markets reported ADR decreases of more than 20 percent: San Francisco/San Mateo, California (-21.0 percent to US$158.58), and Houston, Texas (-20.3 percent to US$92.59).

Norfolk-Virginia Beach was the only market to report an increase in RevPAR, which was up 2.5 percent to US$46.75. Four markets experienced RevPAR decreases of more than 25 percent: Houston (-50.4 percent to US$48.98); Phoenix, Arizona (-29.4 percent to US$49.94); New Orleans (-26.9 percent to US$48.24); and Dallas, Texas (-25.4 percent to US$49.82).

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