After several weeks of steady occupancy, U.S. hotels reported a slight decrease from the previous week, according to the latest data from STR.
For the week of Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, occupancy was 47.9 percent, down from 48.7 percent the previous week and down 29.6 percent from the same week in 2019. Average daily rate was $95.63, down 26.3 percent year over year, and revenue per available room reached $45.80, down 48.1 percent from 2019.
Year-over-year declines were less pronounced compared with previous weeks due to the Rosh Hashanah impact on the hotel calendar in 2019, the report claimed. Most of the markets with the highest occupancy levels were once again those in areas with residents displaced by natural disasters. Amid continued wildfires, California South/Central saw the highest occupancy level at 78.4 percent. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sally, Mobile, Ala., reported the next highest occupancy level (73.6 percent).
Top Markets
Aggregate data for the top 25 markets showed lower occupancy (42.1 percent) but higher ADR ($99.06) than all other markets.
Three of those major markets reached or surpassed 50 percent occupancy: Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Va.; (52.5 percent); San Diego (52.1 percent); and Los Angeles/Long Beach (51.6 percent).
Markets with the lowest occupancy levels for the week included Oahu Island, Hawaii (19 percent), and Orlando (30.8 percent).