U.S. Hotels Performing Well in Early December

---

According to Smith Travel Research (STR), the U.S. hotel industry reported increases in all three key performance metrics during the first week of December 2010.

In year-over-year comparisons, occupancy increased 4.7 percent to 49.9 percent, average daily rate was up 0.5 percent to US$96.87, and revenue per available room ended the week up 5.3 percent to US$48.31.

Among the Top 25 Markets, Orlando, Florida, reported the largest increases in all three key performance metrics. The market's occupancy rose 20.0 percent to 61.1 percent, ADR was up 11.3 percent to US$99.80, and RevPAR jumped 33.5 percent to US$60.97.

Detroit, Michigan, experienced the only other occupancy increase of more than 15 percent, rising 18.6 percent to 53.7 percent.

New Orleans, Louisiana, posted the largest decreases in all three key metrics. The market's occupancy fell 19.3 percent to 54.6 percent, ADR dropped 27.3 percent to US$108.78, and RevPAR decreased 41.3 percent to US$59.34.

Excluding Orlando, two other markets reported RevPAR increases of more than 15 percent: Detroit (+19.3 percent to US$40.46) and Denver, Colorado (+15.9 percent to US$47.36). Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida (-12.2 percent to US$39.08), and Nashville, Tennessee (-10.1 percent to US$46.25), followed New Orleans with large RevPAR decreases.

---