The U.S. hotel industry will continue to experience year-over-year performance increases,

STR and Tourism Economics predicted at the 2015 Hotel Data Conference in Nashville. The updated forecast indicates occupancy will increase 1.7 percent to reach 65.5 percent during 2015 and the average daily rate will grow 5.1 percent. Demand growth (2.9 percent) is also expected to outweigh supply growth (1.2 percent). For 2016, STR projects occupancy will increase 0.8 percent to 66 percent and ADR will increase 5.2 percent. “The next couple years will be great unless there’s an unknown factor we can’t anticipate,” STR president and COO Amanda Hite said.