Current economic concerns should not slow rate and occupancy growth in the U.S. hotel industry, PKF Hospitality Research said

in its June Hotel Horizons report. Despite slow unemployment recovery and European economic discord, "the performance of the U.S. lodging market during the first quarter of 2012 was just as strong as we had forecast," PKF president Mark Woodworth said in a statement. "Therefore, we see no reason to change our opinion on the remainder of the year." The firm projects U.S. average daily rates will increase by 4.1 percent in 2012 and by 4.7 percent in 2013, with occupancy up slightly in both years.