Group items matching

in title, tags, annotations or url

U.S. HOTELS HIT a new Thanksgiving holiday performance record in the fourth week of November, according to STR. All performance metrics were up during the week when compared to same period in 2019. Occupancy was 53 percent for the week ending Nov. 27, down from 59.7 percent for the week before and an increase of 4.6 percent from the same Thanksgiving period two years ago. ADR for the week was $128.41, up from $126.66 the week before and increased 14.3 percent when compared to two years ago. RevPAR decreased to $68 for the week from $75.60 the week before but increased 19.6 percent for the same period in 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets, Dallas saw the largest occupancy increase during the fourth week, up 12.2 percent to 54.8 percent, over the same period two years ago. Phoenix reported the largest ADR increase when compared to 2019, up 35.1 percent to $143.30. Oahu Island experienced the steepest occupancy decline, down 25.3 percent to 58.5 percent over 2019.

THE DEATH TOLL from a series of tornadoes that tore through several states, with some of the most severe damage in Kentucky, is expected to top 100. In response, AAHOA is urging its members to lend a hand to relief efforts. In Kentucky, at least 70 people were killed as the storms churned through Friday night and into Saturday, according to local media reports. About 110 people were trapped in a Mayfield, Kentucky, candle factory when the tornado hit. At least two died at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois. Deaths were reported in Arkansas, Tennessee and other states as well. "This will be, I believe, the deadliest tornado system to ever run through Kentucky. Earlier this morning at about 5 a.m., we were pretty sure that we would lose over 50 Kentuckians. I'm now certain that number is north of 70. It may in fact end up exceeding 100 before the day is done," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement. "The damage is even worse now that we have first light. A couple places have been hit incredibly hard, certainly Mayfield here in Graves County, but everywhere along the line of this tornado that touched down and stayed down for 227 miles."

U.S. HOTEL OCCUPANCY increased in the first week of December, according to STR. But, all performance metrics were lower during the week when compared to same period in 2019. Occupancy was 54.8 percent for the week ending Dec. 4, up from 53 percent the week before and down from 8.8 percent for the same period in 2019. ADR for the week was $127.92, down from $128.41 the week before and decreased 0.5 percent when compared to two years ago. RevPAR increased to $70.08during the week from $68 for the week before but dropped 9.2 percent for the same period in 2019. According to the report, none of STR's top 25 markets recorded an occupancy increase over 2019, Only Los Angeles matched its 2019 comparable at 70 percent. Miami, lifted by Art Basel, reported the largest ADR increase when compared with 2019, up 32.9 percent to $373.71.

THE FIRST TWO months of 2022 saw up and down performance by Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index, according to STR. In January, the index sank, then in February it rose again, regaining lost ground. In January, the index dropped 3.8 percent after rising 12.7 percent in December. The index still outperformed both the S&P 500, which dropped 5.3 percent that month, and the MSCI US REIT Index, which dropped 7 percent. The hotel brand sub-index fell 4.3 percent from December and the hotel REIT sub-index declined 2.2 percent. "Despite the significant stock market volatility to start the year, both the hotel brands and hotel REITs outperformed their respective benchmarks in January, which continued the momentum from the end of 2021," Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird, said at that time. "Positively, Omicron-related concerns are slowly subsiding, and investors are looking forward again. At the same time, leisure demand remains robust, optimism regarding a more normalized travel environment is building, and the broader growth-to-value rotation has benefitted hotel stocks as inflation pressures remain front and center."

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE was down in the first week of March from the week before, according to STR. However, ADR was up during the week compared to 2019. Occupancy was 61.2 percent for the week ending March 5, down from 62.2 percent the week before and down 8.2 percent for the same period in 2019. ADR was $137.96 for the week, decreased from $143.83 the week before and up 4.7 percent from two years ago. RevPAR was $84.39 for the week, down from $89.45 the week before and down 3.8 percent from the same period two years ago. None of STR's top 25 markets showed an occupancy increase during the period over 2019. Norfolk/Virginia Beach came closest to its 2019 comparable, down just 0.8 percent to 56.3 percent.

U.S. EXTENDED-STAY hotels posted record high demand in January and monthly RevPAR was up by more than one third mainly due to record ADR growth during the period over 2021, according to hotel investment advisors The Highland Group. Occupancy extended-stay hotels also remained high in the month when compared to the overall hotel industry's long-term average. The supply growth of 3.5 percent in January further indicated that mid-price and upscale supply increases should be well below pre-pandemic levels during the near term, according to "U.S. Extended-Stay Hotels Bulletin: January 2022" report by Highland Group. It is the fourth consecutive month of 4 percent or lower supply growth. The report said that the overall hotel industry lost far more revenue than extended-stay hotels in 2020 and 2021, so it is now recovering revenue more quickly. Besides, overall hotel industry lost far more RevPAR than extended-stay hotels in 2020, its RevPAR growth in January this year compared to last year was considerably greater.

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE persisted in its downward trend during the last week of August, influenced by seasonal patterns in contrast to the previous week, according to CoStar. However, year-on-year comparisons improved while Maui Island, Hawaii, still recovering from deadly wildfires, showed signs of recovery. Occupancy came in at 65 percent for the week ending Aug. 26, down from the previous week's 67 percent, but it showed a 0.4 percent increase compared to 2022. ADR stood at $150.23, a decrease from the previous week's $154.10, though it displayed a 1.7 percent growth compared to the same period last year. RevPAR was $97.62, below the prior week's $103.22, yet it still indicated a 2.1 percent rise from 2022. Among the top 25 markets, Las Vegas achieved the largest year-over-year occupancy increase as August ended, rising by 7.9 percent to reach 76.3 percent. Houston achieved the highest ADR at $112.08, with a 10.5 percent increase, and the highest RevPAR at $64.45, reflecting a 17.8 percent increase.

THE NEW YORK City government implemented new regulations last week, enabling oversight of short-term rentals. These rules now mandate hosts to register with the city when renting their homes for less than 30 days, and AAHOA issued a statement supporting the law. Under this rule as of Sept. 5, platforms such as Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com are required to confirm a host's registration approval before processing fees. Failing to register a rental listing could lead to penalties of up to $1,500 per transaction for these platforms, while hosts themselves face potential fines of up to $5,000. "[The Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement]'s initial phase of Local Law 18 enforcement will focus on collaborating with the booking platforms to ensure they are using the city's verification system, that all verifications are occurring correctly, and that the platforms stop processing unverified transactions," said the OSE's website.

U.S. WEEKLY HOTEL performance posted mixed year-over-year comparisons, while occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR declined in the second week of May over the previous week, according to STR. Meanwhile, "worsened comparisons than the week prior were expected due to normal given seasonal slowing and the negative side of the Mother's Day calendar shift," STR said. Occupancy was 65.1 percent for the week ending May 13, declined from 65.2 percent the week before and down 2 percent over the comparable week in 2022. ADR stood at $154.90, down from $157.62, and increased 3.4 percent from 2022. RevPAR came in at $100.81 in the last week, declined from $102.74 the week before and increased 1.3 percent against the same period in 2022. Among the top 25 markets, Philadelphia registered the only double-digit increase in occupancy in the second week of the month, up 13.3 percent to 73.2 percent. ADR jumped 14.5 to $189.50, while RevPAR was up 29.7 percent to $138.80. Of note, New York City, 83.7 percent, was the only major market to report occupancy above 80 percent. That level was up 3.9 percent year-over-year.

THE REPRESENTATION OF Black and women members on hotel industry boards is on the rise, signaling progress in board diversity, according to recent research commissioned by AHLA Foundation and conducted by Penn State's School of Hospitality Management. The surge surpasses the 2022 averages for firms in the Russell 3000 Index, while indicating multiple gains for the industry. The 2022 data analysis involved 230 board members from 28 companies spanning the years 2016 to 2022, the AHLA Foundation said. Key findings from the report include: In 2022, women held 31.3 percent of independent board seats on hotel public company boards, a notable surgefrom 22.5 percent in 2021. This surpasses the 2022 Russell 3000 Index average of 28.4 percent for women representation.

NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP signed an agreement with Choice Hotels International to develop nine WoodSpring Suites hotels in Georgia and South Carolina in two years. The companies say the agreement represents an increased institutional interest in the economy extended-stay brand. Noble, led by Mit Shah as founder and CEO, is a real estate investment manager specializing in select-service and extended-stay travel and hospitality with over $5 billion in assets. "Noble continues to add substantial scale to our extended-stay travel and hospitality platform," said Ben Brunt, Noble's chief investment officer. "WoodSpring Suites has an outstanding track record of high performance across economic cycles, and we are pleased to welcome these new investments into our portfolio."

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE dropped in the first week of November compared to the week before as expected due to the Halloween calendar shift, according to STR. Performance also weakened when compared to 2019. Occupancy was 62.4 for the week ending Nov. 5, down from 65.8 percent the week before and dropped 9.2 percent from 2019. ADR was $147.48 during the week, decreased from $152.94 the week before and up 11.4 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $91.99 during the first week of November, down from $100.59 the week before and a slight increase of 1.1 percent from 2019. None of STR's top 25 markets showed an occupancy increase over 2019 during the week after Halloween. Tampa came closest to its pre-pandemic comparable, with an increase of 1 percent to 72.4 percent.

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE was down in the fourth week of November compared to the week before due to the Thanksgiving holiday, according to STR. However, hotel performance was mixed when compared to same period in 2019. Occupancy was 50.4 percent for the week ending Nov. 26, down from 63 percent the week before and decreased 0.5 percent from 2019. ADR was $135.49 during the week, down from $144.50 the week before and up 20.4 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $68.27 during the week, down from $91.02 the week before and up 19.9 percent from 2019. Minneapolis reported the largest occupancy increase among STR's top 25 markets, up 7.6 percent to 42 percent, over 2019.

THERE WAS A slight slip in U.S. hotel performance in the third week of October compared to the week before, according to STR. However, numbers improved during the week when compared to 2019. Occupancy was 69.9 percent for the week ending Oct. 22, down from 70.3 percent the week before and down 0.5 percent from 2019. ADR was $157.43 during the week, slightly dropped from $157.52 the week before and up 16.7 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $110.11 in the third week of Oct. 22, just dipped from $110.78 the week before and up 16.1 percent from 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets, Tampa reported the largest increase in occupancy during the week, up 7.4 percent to 75.9 percent and RevPAR, increased 39.2 percent to $117.28, over 2019. It has been one of the markets in Florida that have seen a performance lift associated with post-Hurricane Ian demand.

GOPPAR FOR U.S. hotels improved in September compared to the month before and it exceeded the pre-pandemic levels, according to STR. Meanwhile, the cost of labor per available room came in higher than the pre-pandemic comparable for the first time. GOPPAR was $84.03 for the month, up from $64.26 reported in August. It was $78.30 for July and $91.23 in June. The performance index was $88.63 in May and stood at $90.96 in April. EBITDA PAR was $60.71 for September, TRevPAR was $222.97 and labor costs per room were $71.52. "Labor costs moved ahead the 2019 comparable due to continued high levels of hospitality unemployment and more spending on contract labor," said Raquel Ortiz, STR's director of financial performance. "Total labor costs were up 5 percent year to date, with all departments reporting higher expenses, except F&B, due to less group demand earlier this year. GOPPAR was the strongest since June 2022, and profit margins came in higher than September 2019. Profit margins have been strong for some time caused by lower employment levels and reduced services."

IHG HOTELS & RESORTS donated $500,000 to the American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation's No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund to combat human trafficking. It is the most recent donation by a large hotel company to the fund. The Survivor Fund works to end human trafficking and support the economic stability of human trafficking survivors with the contribution, a statement added. It supports survivors' immediate needs and long-term stability that will empower and equip survivors and their families to help prevent revictimization, including but not limited to emergency housing and career development support by funding community-based organizations. Since its inception, the fund has raised $2.5 million with contributions from Extended Stay America, G6 Hospitality, Hilton Global Foundation, Hyatt Hotels Foundation and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. "IHG Hotels & Resorts is committed to eradicating human trafficking, and this support of the NRFT Survivor Fund underscores our long-standing effort to condemn this exploitation and help survivors," said Elie Maalouf, IHG's CEO for the Americas. "The fund will play a crucial role in providing survivors with the support they need for future stability and success. Recognizing that our industry has a unique opportunity to fight human trafficking collectively, we proudly join our peers and AHLA Foundation in continuing to make impactful change."

THERE WAS A slight dip in U.S. hotel performance in the fifth week of July compared to the week before, which was the traditional summer travel peak, according to STR. Performance metrics for hotels were lower during the week compared to the week before, but higher when compared to 2019. Occupancy was 71.9 percent for the week ending July 30, down from 72.8 percent the week before and dropped 3.8 percent from 2019. ADR was $158.32 for the week, a slight dip from $158.79 the week before and increased 18.3 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $113.90 during the week, down from $115.59 the week before and up 13.9 percent from 2019. Nashville reported the largest occupancy increase during the post summer travel peak week, up 4.2 percent to 77.8 percent, over 2019 among STR's top 25 markets. The highest occupancy were in San Diego (87.4 percent), Boston (85.5 percent), and Oahu Island (85.3 percent) during the week under review.

THE BAIRD/STR HOTEL Stock Index jumped in July, ending a downward trend for two consecutive months. The index decreased 10.4 percent year-to-date for the first seven months of 2022. Baird/STR Index recorded a sharp increase of 14.3 percent in July, according to STR. The index fell 19.3 percent in June and dropped 5.8 percent in May. It went up 0.7 percent during April. It increased 2.2 percent in March after rising 4.1 percent in February. The Baird/STR Index surpassed both the S&P 500, up 9.1 percent from June, and the MSCI US REIT Index, increased 8.7 percent, respectively during July. The hotel brand sub-index rose 14.2 percent from June, while the Hotel REIT sub-index increased 14.6 percent during the month. "Hotel stocks rebounded sharply and outperformed their respective benchmarks in July; relative outperformance has continued in August," said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. "Despite the big gains in July, hotel stocks did not fully recapture June's losses. Positively, second quarter earnings exceeded analysts' and investors' expectations, and broader recession fears have begun to subside, which has boosted sentiment and stock prices. All eyes are on the post-Labor Day outlook that should reflect a more normalized travel environment."

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE dipped in the first week of September compared to the week before, according to STR. However, performance during the week improved when compared to 2019. Occupancy was 62.8 percent for the week ending Sept. 3, down from 65 percent the week before and up 3.1 percent from 2019. ADR was $147.14 for the week, almost similar to the week before at $147.16 and increased 20.9 percent from three years ago. RevPAR reached $92.45 during the week, down from $95.62 the week before and increased 24.6 percent from 2019. Among STR's top 25 markets, Miami reported the largest increase in occupancy to kick off September, up 30.1 percent to 62.2 percent and RevPAR, increased 86.5 percent to $112.37, over 2019.

DALLAS-BASED NEWCRESTIMAGE formed a joint venture with Dabu Hotels, and Countrywide Hospitality to acquire the 130-room Best Western Plus at Lake Powell in Page, Arizona, operated by Terrapin Hospitality, a statement said. The company said that the Arizona property is located in a leisure destination area that is visited by more than 4.5 million visitors. Nearby attractions are the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Glen Canyon Dam, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend, the statement added. "This hotel is a key stop for travelers who are making the 'grand circle' tour of western national parks such as Zion Park and Bryce National Park," said Mehul Patel, managing partner and CEO of NewcrestImage. "We are always looking to acquire well-positioned properties such as this one, and we are excited to partner with strong investment partners like Dabu Hotels and Countrywide Hospitality."