U.S. Hotel Occupancy Rate Dips to 53.7% in February

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(HENDERSONVILLE, TN) -- According to Smith Travel Research, the U.S. hotel industry reported decreases in all three key measurements during the week of 7-13 February 2010.

In year-over-year measurements, the industry's occupancy ended the week with a 2.3-percent decrease to 53.7 percent. Average daily rate dropped 4.7 percent to finish the week at US$97.12. Revenue per available room for the week fell 6.9 percent to finish at US$52.19.

Among the Chain Scale segments, the Luxury segment reported the largest occupancy increase, up 3.3 percent to 63.2 percent, followed by the Upper Upscale segment (+0.5 percent to 64.4 percent) and the Upscale segment (+0.4 percent to 62.8 percent).

Among the Top 25 Markets, Dallas, Texas, ended the week with the largest occupancy increase, jumping 17.0 percent to 61.2 percent. Three other markets posted occupancy increases of 10 percent or more: Denver, Colorado (+11.4 percent to 56.8 percent); Miami-Hialeah, Florida (+11.3 percent to 82.1 percent); and New Orleans, Louisiana (+10.8 percent to 70.8 percent). Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Virginia, experienced the largest occupancy decline, falling 13.1 percent to 40.0 percent, followed by Washington, D.C., with an 11.0-percent decrease to 52.8 percent.

New Orleans led the ADR increases, rising 7.2 percent to US$137.32, followed by Miami-Hialeah (+6.3 percent to US$214.02) and Dallas (+3.6 percent to US$97.57).

Dallas posted the largest RevPAR increase, rising 21.2 percent to US$59.67, followed by New Orleans with an 18.8-percent increase to US$97.23.

Washington, D.C., which was pummeled by a winter storm early in the week, reported the largest decreases in ADR and RevPAR. The market's ADR dropped 20.2 percent to US$116.09 and RevPAR fell 28.9 percent to US$61.30.

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