HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The economy chain-scale segment reported the largest increase in revenue per available room during March, according to data from STR.
The segment’s RevPAR rose 8.8% to $28, its average daily rate was up 5.1% to $50.70 and its occupancy rose 3.5% to 55.2%.
Overall, the U.S. hotel industry’s occupancy rose 4% to 63.6%, its ADR was up 3.9% to $105.91 and its RevPAR increased 8% to $67.38.
“A very strong March contributed to a solid first quarter showing for the industry", said Amanda Hite, STR’s president. “Spring breaks, unseasonable warm weather across the country, and the fact that March included 10 Fridays and Saturdays compared to only eight in 2011 helped boost monthly and first quarter performance. The extra weekend days had a positive impact on leisure-oriented hotels, particularly in the Upper Midscale, Midscale and Economy segments.”
Among the chain-scale segments, the midscale segment reported the largest occupancy increase, up 5.2% to 56.6%, followed by the upper-midscale segment with a 4.6% increase to 65.3%.
The luxury segment rose 6.2% in ADR to $283.05, ending the month with the largest increase in that metric.
Among the top 25 markets, Nashville, Tennessee, experienced the largest occupancy increase, rising 17.2% to 73.4%, followed by Houston with a 10.4% increase to 73.2%. Philadelphia fell 3.1% in occupancy to 66.7%, posting the largest decrease in that metric, followed by Anaheim-Santa Ana, California, with a 1.1% decrease to 75.9%.
Oahu Island, Hawaii, achieved the only double-digit ADR increase, rising 11.2% to $173.78. Washington, D.C., fell 1.9% in ADR to $156.26, reporting the only decrease in that metric.
Nashville ended the month with the largest RevPAR increase, rising 25.5% to $71.69, followed by Oahu Island (+18.4% to $146.22) and San Diego (+14.9% to $99.09). None of the top 25 markets reported RevPAR decreases for the month.
