Skip to content

Search

Latest Stories

STR: U.S. hotel occupancy see second highest rise since February

Top 25 markets start to rise toward 2019 levels

STR: U.S. hotel occupancy see second highest rise since February

U.S. HOTELS REACHED a new high in the second week of May, according to STR. Occupancy reached its second-highest level since the start of the pandemic.

Occupancy was 59.1 percent for the week ending May 15, up from 56.7 percent the week before and down 16.4 percent from the comparable week in 2019. STR now compares performance to comparable weeks in 2019 because all comparable months from last year were impacted by the beginning of the pandemic and do not represent a return to normal.


ADR for the more recent week was $113.54, up from $110.19 the week before and down 15.4 percent from two years before. RevPAR was $67.05, up from $62.50 the previous week and down 29.2 percent from 2019.

“Friday/Saturday occupancy came in higher than any weekend since Valentine’s Day weekend in 2020. Additionally, ADR reached its highest point of the pandemic but was still $20 less than the corresponding week in 2019,” STR said.

Business travel volume improved during the week ending May 15, bringing STR’s top 25 markets up in week-over-week comparisons.

“Tampa, up 4.8 percent to 72.1 percent, was the only top 25 market to report an occupancy increase over 2019,” STR said. “San Francisco/San Mateo saw the steepest decline in occupancy when compared with 2019, negative 49.1 percent to 43.9 percent.”

Miami led in ADR increases among the top 25, up 34.8 percent to $233.81, followed by Tampa with a 10.3 percent rise to $138.47, and Norfolk/Virginia Beach, which rose 0.3 percent to $106.46, making them the only top 25 markets with levels higher than 2019.

Only two top 25 markets saw RevPAR levels higher than the 2019 comparable, Miami with a 32.5 percent rise to $174.55, and Tampa, which rose 15.6 percent to $99.90. The largest RevPAR deficits were in San Francisco/San Mateo, down 73.7 percent to $59.05, and Boston, down 73.2 percent to $57.31.

More for you

Choice Hotels
Photo credit: Choice Hotels International

Choice posts $81.7M Q2 profit, 93K-room pipeline

Summary:

  • Choice Hotels International reported Q2 net income of $81.7 million.
  • Domestic RevPAR fell 2.9 percent due to macroeconomic conditions.
  • Extended-stay portfolio rose 10.5 percent YoY, with a domestic pipeline of 43,000 rooms.

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL reported second-quarter net income of $81.7 million, down from $87.1 million a year earlier. Its forecast for the year remained positive, but was downgraded some to account for changes in macroeconomic conditions.

Keep ReadingShow less
OYO Adds 150 U.S. Hotels in 2025, Plans Another 150
Photo credit: OYO U.S.

OYO adds 150 U.S. hotels, plans 150 more

Summary:

  • OYO added more than 150 U.S. hotels in early 2025 and plans 150 more by year-end.
  • Ten additions have more than 100 rooms, reflecting a focus on high-inventory properties.
  • It is targeting urban and suburban markets in the Sun Belt and Great Lakes regions.

HOSPITALITY TECHNOLOGY COMPANY OYO added more than 150 hotels to its U.S. portfolio in the first half of 2025 and plans to add 150 more by year-end. The additions span Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, California, Michigan and Illinois.

Keep ReadingShow less
Choice Hotels campaigns

Choice launches campaigns for extended-stay brands

Summary:

  • Choice launched two campaigns to boost bookings across its four extended-stay brands.
  • Based on guest feedback, the campaigns focus on efficiency, cleanliness, value and flexibility.
  • They will run through 2026 across social media, Connected TV, digital display and online video.

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL launched two marketing campaigns to increase brand awareness and bookings across its four extended-stay brands. The "Stay in Your Rhythm" campaign promotes all four brands by showing how guests can maintain daily routines, while "The WoodSpring Way" highlights the service WoodSpring Suites staff provide.

Keep ReadingShow less
US Hotel Employee Background Checks
iStock

Survey: Employee background checks up for hotels

Summary:

  • U.S. hotels increased background checks by 36 percent in early 2025.
  • The trend follows President Trump’s immigration policies impacting seasonal labor.
  • Immigrants making up a third of the travel workforce.

U.S. HOTEL HIRING managers requested 36 percent more background checks in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period last year, according to Hireology. The move follows President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and proposed visa fee hikes affecting seasonal labor.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hotel industry leaders unite at AHLA Summit to support trafficking survivors
Photo credit: AHLA Foundation

AHLA Foundation hosts human trafficking summit

Summary:

  • AHLA Foundation held its No Room for Trafficking Summit and announced Survivor Fund grantees.
  • The summit featured expert panels and sessions on survivor employment and trafficking prevention.
  • Since 2023, the program has awarded more than $2.35 million to 27 organizations.

AHLA FOUNDATION RECENTLY held its annual “No Room for Trafficking Summit” to advance practices and reinforce the industry's commitment to addressing human trafficking through collaboration, education and survivor support. It also announced the 2025–2026 NRFT Survivor Fund grants, which support organizations providing services and resources for survivors.

Keep ReadingShow less