The summer travel season is only a few
weeks old, but according to R. Mark Woodworth, one thing is already
clear.
It will be tough to
find a hotel room during the summer of 2006 without booking in
advance, said Woodworth, president of Atlanta-based PKF Hospitality
Research.
The hotel occupancy
rate is expected to average 74.1% in the U.S. this summer,
according PKFs Hotel Outlook research.
With demand high
and room supply relatively unchanged from previous years, Woodworth
said consumers should expect to find few hotel bargains this
summer.
Room rates are
expected to average $108.44 per night nationally, about 6% higher
than in the summer of 2005.
Of course, some
cities will be more expensive than others.
For instance, New
York is expected to be the most expensive U.S. city with an average
daily room rate of $200.28. Honolulu is next at $159.56 per night,
followed by San Francisco at $139.34.
What is interesting
to note is that summertime is a relative bargain in these cities,
Woodworth said.
Travelers looking
for less expensive room rates should head to the Sunbelt, Woodworth
said.
For example, the
average price paid for a hotel room during the summer in Florida
and Arizona is 15% to 30% less than the average daily room rate for
the year, Woodworth said.
PKFs research shows
travelers will likely move forward with their vacation plans
despite high gas prices, which in June were averaging $3.39 per
gallon, according to AAAs June Fuel Gauge Report.
Regardless of
recessions or energy crises, we have observed that the public
continues to travel, but they will alter their traditional plans,
Woodworth said. This summer, in order to
compensate for higher gas prices and air fares, we are seeing a
migration toward more economical accommodations.
PKF projects that
occupancy levels for limited-service hotels will be 74.8%, up 6.2%
from last summer. By comparison,
full-service hotels are projected to have an average occupancy of
73.8%, up just 0.5% from last summer.