Hotel occupancy increased worldwide in July, while average
daily rates also grew in most regions outside of Europe, according to data
released this week by Smith Travel Research Global.
Rates increased the most in the Asia/Pacific region, up by
11.9 percent compared with July 2009. Several markets, including Shanghai, Hong
Kong, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, had average daily rate increases of more than
20 percent, and no major market in the region saw rates decline. Occupancy in
the region was up by 9.6 percent, and revenue per available room increased by
22.7 percent.
In Europe, average daily rates declined by 0.7 percent year
over year, although the region had the overall highest occupancy of the global
regions at 71 percent, according to STR Global. Several cities had significant
rate increases, however, including London, where rates were up by 22.8 percent.
Stockholm, Munich and Gothenburg, Sweden, also had rate increases of more than
20 percent. Rates fell by 13.4 percent in Dublin and by 11.5 percent in
Budapest, however.
In the Middle East and Africa, occupancy was nearly flat
compared with July 2009, but rates increased by 11.8 percent and RevPAR was up
11.8 percent. Within just the Middle East, however, RevPAR was down,
particularly in Abu Dhabi, where occupancy was down by 23 percent, rates down
by 28.1 percent and RevPAR down by 44.7 percent.
In the Americas, rate growth was a more modest 1.7 percent,
while occupancy increased by 6.9 percent and RevPAR increased by 8.8 percent.
Significant rate increases included Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires,
all up more than 15 percent. The only city in the region to see rates or RevPAR
decrease was San Juan, Puerto Rico.