Ed Brock is an award-winning journalist who has worked for various U.S. newspapers and magazines, including with American City & County magazine, a national publication based in Atlanta focused on city and county government issues. He is currently senior editor at Asian Hospitality magazine, the top U.S. publication for Asian American hoteliers. Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Ed began his career in journalism in the early 1990s as a reporter for a chain of weekly newspapers in Baldwin County, Alabama. After a stint teaching English in Japan, Ed returned to the U.S. and moved to the Atlanta area where he returned to journalism, coming to work at Asian Hospitality in 2016.
NOVEMBER GAVE U.S. hoteliers little cause to be thankful as performance dropped from the previous month. The third week of December also saw decreases.
Occupancy for November averaged 40.3 percent, down from 48.3 percent in October and a 34.5 percent drop from the previous year. ADR for the month was $90.92 compared to $97.61 the previous month and down 27.7 percent from last year. RevPAR was $36.67, down from $47.13 in October and 52.6 percent from 2019.
Out of STR’s top 25 markets, Oahu Island, Hawaii, saw the lowest November occupancy level at 22.6 percent, a 72.4 percent decline from the prior year. The island also had the highest ADR, $167.49, which still was down 26.7 percent year-over-year. Eight other markets posted ADR above $100.
Phoenix, Arizona, had the highest occupancy for the month, 49.6 percent, down 31.3 percent year over year. The next highest occupancy was in Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida, with 48.8 percent and Atlanta with 46.5 percent.
Overall, the top 25 markets showed lower occupancy but higher ADR than all other markets.
Similar performance was seen during the week ending Dec. 19, when occupancy reached 36.8 percent, down from 37.8 percent the week before and a 26.4 percent year-over-year decline. ADR was $85.50 compared to $85.88 the previous week and down 21.9 percent from the previous year. RevPAR was $31.45, three cents less than the prior week’s $32.49 and 42.5 percent less than the previous year.
The industry also surpassed one billion unsold room nights for the first time on record.
Occupancy for the top 25 markets together was 34.9 percent, lower than all other markets, while ADR at $90.00 was higher. Oahu Island had the lowest occupancy among the top 25 markets for that week, again, 21.6 percent, followed by Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota-Wisconsin with 23.9 percent.
Tampa/St. Petersburg held the highest occupancy, 45.4 percent.
Sonesta launched Americas Best Value Studios, an extended-stay version of ABVI.
The model targets owners seeking limited front desk and housekeeping.
The brand meets demand for longer-term, value-focused stays.
SONESTA INTERNATIONAL HOTELS Corp. launched Americas Best Value Studios by Sonesta, an extended-stay version of its franchised brand, Americas Best Value Inn. The model targets owners seeking limited front desk and housekeeping, optional fitness center and lobby market along with standard brand requirements.
The brand aims to address the growing demand for longer-term, value-driven accommodations, Sonesta said in a statement.
"Americas Best Value Studios by Sonesta represents a strategic evolution of our trusted Americas Best Value Inn brand," Keith Pierce, Sonesta’s executive vice president and president of franchise development, said. "We are expanding our offerings to directly address the increasing demand within the extended-stay segment, providing a practical solution for travelers seeking longer-term lodging at value. This new brand type allows our local franchised owner-operators to tap into a growing market while maintaining the community-focused experience that Americas Best Value Inn is known for."
ABVI has a majority presence in secondary and tertiary markets, the statement said.
The extended-stay brand’s operational model features a front desk, bi-weekly housekeeping, on-site laundry and pet-friendly accommodations, Sonesta said. Guests can also earn or redeem points through the Sonesta Travel Pass loyalty program.
In August, Sonesta named Stayntouch its preferred property management system after a two-year review of its ability to support the company’s franchise model. The company operates more than 1,100 properties with more than 100,000 rooms across 13 brands on three continents.
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