Total U.S. hotel bookings in March declined 43 percent year over year, according to Kalibri Labs. The share of hotel bookings made in March via group blocks declined 32.6 percent year over year versus other channels, and the share of those made via global distribution systems declined 17.7 percent. The share of property-direct bookings increased 27.4 percent. March was the first full month to reflect the effects in the U.S. of the coronavirus pandemic.
Kalibri also reported guest paid revenue per available room declined 52.6 percent year over year to $44.79, compared to March 2019. Guest paid average daily rate declined 17 percent, however Kalibri noted that the drop does not reflect an average hotel's price deflation as much as it represents a smaller portion of upper-tier hotels operating compared with a year ago.
About 3,627 hotels were closed during the month, with the upper tiers hit the hardest: 42.9 percent of luxury hotels shut, as did 26.3 percent of upper-upscale hotels and 10.5 percent or less for other tiers. A similar story shaped up for occupancy, with luxury hotel occupancy down 61.8 percent year over year and upper-upscale occupancy down 58 percent. The declines for the other tiers were at 50 percent or less.