Positive outlook for UK hotels
UK hotels are expecting further rises in rates and occupancies this year, despite levels slowing down in London.
According to the latest Hotel Britain report from BDO LLP, growth is being led by regional hotels where rates are catching up with hotels in the capital.
In the regions, average achieved room rate (AARR) growth for 2013 was 1.4%, while London’s AARR was marginally down in 2013 (-0.1% to £152.48).
Rooms yield growth for 2013 in the regions was 3.5% compared to a 1.1% rise in London.
The report said the leveling off in London was down to the 2012 hike in rates during the Olympics weighing on performance.
It said the regional resurgence has been driven partly by a reinvigorated MICE market and consumer confidence boosting midweek and weekend domestic breaks.
BDO Partner Robert Barnard said: "Regional hotels have had to learn some very tough lessons in recent years and the ones that have learnt well are emerging from the recession with more sophisticated marketing strategies.
"The move away from the traditional focus on MICE trade to attracting more mid-week and weekend leisure visitors is a good example of this and has meant hoteliers were able to take advantage of the UK’s hot summer of 2013 and present a compelling alternative to airfares and the expense of the Eurozone."
Meanwhile another report, HotStats 2014, said London hotels had seen a 2.1% decline in profit per available room, which was "evidence that a rising cost base is creating a more challenging trading environment".
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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