HotelNewsNow.com each week will feature a news roundup from a different region of the world. Today’s compilation covers Europe.

Hotel performance still bleak, despite hints of optimism

During a general session at the International Hotel Investment Forum earlier this month, Mark Lomanno, president of STR and chairman of STR Global, said hotel performance in Europe is still bleak, despite some hints of optimism.

“There is still reluctance to embrace (demand) and raise room rates,” he said of average daily rate growth. “It’s going to be up to hoteliers to say, ‘Do we have trust that demand is coming back enough to accelerate rates?’”

• View Mark Lomanno's presentation. (Free HotelNewsNow.com registration required.)

Other takeaways:
• London was the only key market in Europe to experience occupancy growth during 2009. No major market saw average daily rate growth.
• Paris ended 2009 with ADR of €167 (US$226.70) and revenue per available room of €123 (US$166.98), the highest of the key European cities.
• European rooms in-construction are focused in the United Kingdom, Germany and Russia, which comprise 53 percent of the in-construction pipeline.
• In 2010, London is the only key market that will see positive RevPAR change (0 to 10 percent) when compared to 2008 figures. Edinburgh, Scotland; Glasgow, Scotland; and Istanbul are forecasted to see a decrease of 0 to 10 percent.

STR Global posts January 2010 hotel performance results

The European hotel industry posted mixed results in year-over-year results when reported in U.S. dollars, euros and British pounds for January 2010, according to data compiled by STR Global.

Berlin RevPAR falls 9.3 percent during 2009

According to the latest city review by Christie + Co, using data provided by STR Global, Berlin hotels recorded a 9.3-percent decrease in revenue per available room during 2009 compared to 2008. Despite being the city’s best ever year for tourism with 8.3 million arrivals (up 4.5 percent compared to the previous year) and overnight stays with 18.9 million (up 6.2 percent compared to the previous year), room occupancy across hotels in Berlin declined by 1.2 percentage points, while average daily rate dropped 7.6 percent as a result of additional supply and the global economic downturn.

• Read “City review: Berlin.”

HVS: European hotel values drop 25 percent

A HVS survey shows that, on average, hotel values across Europe, measured in euros, fell 13 percent, the second year in succession the index has shown a decrease in value.