Total hotel reservations booked in May through global
distribution channels dropped 5.7 percent globally year over year, and rates
booked through those channels were up 4 percent, according to Pegasus
Solutions.
In North America, May GDS bookings were down 8.8 percent
year over year as rates increased by 7.6 percent. Outside of North America,
bookings were down 2.1 percent, and rates were about flat compared with May
2011.
Some of the drop in hotel reservations can be attributed to
unfavorable comparisons caused by Japan's March 2011 earthquake and tsunami,
according to Pegasus. The disaster caused many business trips in that March and
April to be postponed to May 2011, resulting in a 15 percent year-over-year
increase of GDS hotel bookings that month.
Monthly bookings likely will continue to trail 2011 levels
for the next few months but might begin to pick up later in the year.
"May's results are comforting; they reassert that
despite economic headwinds, travel demand is here for the long run,"
according to Pegasus. "Global GDS forward-looking data shows corporate
demand remains healthy. Bookings will remain within reach of the prior year
through July, with potential for uptick in August and September, and rate
growth looks to steadily continue."