March average hotel daily rates, as measured in U.S. dollars, increased year over year in all global regions except for the Asia/Pacific region, according to STR Global data.
In the Americas, ADR increased 3.4 percent to $117.93, and occupancy increased 2.8 percent to 65.2 percent, the firm reported. The largest ADR increases for the month were in San Francisco (up 11 percent to $185.59) and Santiago (up 10.3 percent to $206.08). Panama City, Panama, ADR declined 9.5 percent to $109.77, the largest percentage decrease for the region.
ADR in Europe increased 9.1 percent to $137.58; measured in euros, the increase was 1.7 percent to €100.05. Occupancy increased 2.2 percent to 64.9 percent. STR Global managing director Elizabeth Winkle said that Northern Europe—particularly the United Kingdom, Denmark and Lithuania—had solid increases in occupancy and ADR during the first quarter of 2014, although Lithuania's increases are against relatively low comparisons.
In euro terms, Europe's largest year-over-year ADR percentage increases during March occurred in Copenhagen (up 16.4 percent to €112.85); Manchester, U.K. (up 13.2 percent to €86.44); Vilnius, Lithuania (up 13.2 percent to €54.51); Tallinn, Estonia (up 10.9 percent to €71.86); and London (up 10 percent to €158.39). The largest percentage decrease was in Moscow (down 17.4 percent to €124.85).
Both occupancy and ADR declined in the Asia/Pacific region in March. ADR was down 3.3 percent to $120.63, and occupancy declined 0.7 percent to 69.2 percent, STR Global reported. Amid political turmoil, Bangkok during the past few months has seen its lowest occupancies in a decade. Occupancy in India, on the other hand, is beginning to rebound after "oversupply and weak demand in many markets" caused several years of declines, according to Winkle.
The region's largest ADR percentage increases were in Auckland (up 6 percent to $133.44) and Seoul (up 5.9 percent to $191.03). The biggest percentage declines were in Bali, Indonesia (down 13 percent to $114.38), and Bangkok (down 12.8 percent to $94.72).
In the Middle East and Africa, March ADR increased 2.1 percent year over year to $178.18), and occupancy declined 0.7 percent to 66.9 percent.
"The Middle East is once again driving the positive growth in the region," Winkle said in a statement. "Northern Africa is reporting decreases, while Southern Africa's performance remains flat."
ADR in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, increased 8.5 percent to $247.56, the largest percentage in the region. The largest percentage decline was in Doha, Qatar (down 10.4 percent to $187.18).