by Calculated Risk on 8/25/2011 01:40:00 PM

Note: This is one of the industry specific measures that I follow. I only post this every few weeks or so. Looking back at this data during the recession, hotel occupancy first declined in Dec 2007, and then declined sharply in the fall of 2008. Right now the occupancy rate is holding up pretty well.

From HotelNewsNow.com: STR: Miami hotels report strong weekly results

Overall, the U.S. hotel industry’s occupancy rose 3.1% to 67.3%, its ADR increased 4.4% to US$101.80, and its RevPAR finished the week up 7.6% to US$68.53.

Note: ADR: Average Daily Rate, RevPAR: Revenue per Available Room.

The following graph shows the seasonal pattern for the hotel occupancy rate using a four week average for the occupancy rate.

Click on graph for larger image in graph gallery.

The summer leisure travel season is ending, and the 4-week average of the occupancy rate is starting to decrease. Right now the occupancy rate is tracking just below the "median" level.

Smith Travel Research also reports that U.S. hotels sold a record number of rooms in July. From Jason Freed at HotelNewsNow Demand records are made to be broken

Data Source: Smith Travel Research, Courtesy of HotelNewsNow.com