Skip to content

Search

Latest Stories

STR: U.S. hotel occupancy down 1.7 percent in the final week of February

RevPAR went down 0.2 percent amid coronavirus outbreak

U.S. HOTELS EXPERIENCED mixed results during the last week of February, according to STR, with drops in occupancy and RevPAR. The spreading coronavirus was largely to blame.

Occupancy decreased 1.7 percent to 64.1 percent from Feb. 23 to 29 while RevPAR went down 0.2 percent to $83.16. ADR increased 1.6 percent to $129.67.


The declines in occupancy and ADR were most pronounced on the last two days of the month. A major decline of 3.8 percent in occupancy was reported in the airport hotels category.

“We continue to monitor performance in proximity to U.S. airports for early indicators of a coronavirus impact,” said Jan Freitag, STR’s senior vice president of lodging insights. “The coming weeks will be important to monitor for more defined trends, especially with increased coverage around the outbreak and potential event schedule adjustments.”

Among the top 25 markets, San Francisco recorded the week’s largest increases in RevPAR and ADR, up 28.1 percent to $240.24 and up 28.6 percent to $305.10 respectively. Occupancy in the market was however down 0.4 percent to 78.7 percent.

Orlando experienced the highest rise in occupancy, up 6.7 percent to 86 percent and the second-largest jump in RevPAR, up 11.8 percent to $126.03.

Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, Wisconsin, reported the steepest decrease in occupancy, down 8.2 percent to 56.4 percent.

New Orleans saw the only double-digit ADR drop, down 12.7 percent to $174.59 while Chicago, Illinois registered the largest decline in RevPAR, down 12 percent to $61.71.

Before February, the industry started January with increases in all three key performance metrics.

More for you

Peachtree picked to manage six hotels
Photo credit: Peachtree Group

Peachtree picked to manage six hotels

Summary:

  • Peachtree adds six hotels to third-party platform.
  • Five are owned by La Posada Group, one by Decatur Properties.
  • Third-party portfolio totals 42 hotels.

PEACHTREE GROUP’S HOSPITALITY management division added six hotels to its third-party management platform. Five are owned by La Posada Group LLC and one by Decatur Properties Holdings.

Keep ReadingShow less
AHLA Foundation awards $710K in scholarships

AHLA Foundation awards $710K in scholarships

Summary:

  • AHLA Foundation distributed $710,000 in scholarships to 246 students.
  • Nearly 90 percent of recipients come from underrepresented communities.
  • The foundation funds students pursuing education and careers in the lodging sector.

AHLA FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTED $710,000 in academic scholarships to 246 students at 64 schools nationwide for the 2025–2026 academic year. Nearly 90 percent of recipients are from underrepresented communities, reflecting the foundation’s focus on expanding access to hospitality careers.

Keep ReadingShow less
Congressional deadlock shutters government
Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Congressional deadlock shutters government

Summary:

  • The U.S. government shut down at midnight after Congress failed to agree on funding.
  • About 750,000 federal employees will be furloughed daily, costing $400 million.
  • Key immigration and labor programs are halted.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT shut down at midnight after Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on funding. Disputes over healthcare subsidies and spending priorities left both sides unwilling to accept responsibility.

Keep ReadingShow less
WTTC travel report

WTTC: U.S. tops travel sector with $2.6T GDP

Summary:

  • The U.S. led global travel and tourism in 2024 with $2.6 trillion in GDP, WTTC reported.
  • India retained ninth place with $249.3 billion in GDP.
  • The sector supported 357 million jobs in 2024, rising to 371 million in 2025.

THE U.S. LED global travel and tourism in 2024, contributing $2.6 trillion to GDP, mainly from domestic demand, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Europe accounted for five of the top 10 destinations, while India ranked 9th.

Keep ReadingShow less