Hotel occupancy drops by six percent

Average room rates down to $167

Local hotels’ occupancy rate dropped by six percent at end-September compared to the same period in 2012, according to Ernst & Young’s September 2013 Hotel Benchmark Survey.

The Ministry of Tourism’s nine-month statistical report had also revealed that the number of tourists in the first nine months of 2013 dropped by 10 percent y-o-y, totaling around 977,300 visitors.

The report said the average room rate dropped by 19 percent to $167 compared to $206 last year.

The report ranked Beirut among the cities with the widest variance comparing their monthly performance in September 2013 to the same month in the previous year. Hotel occupancy in that month dropped by 12 percent compared to September 2012, and room rates dropped by 11 percent.

Concerning the hot season, occupancy also dropped by 14 percent in July compared to the previous year, with room rates down by 18.9 percent. August was the only summer month that saw a 12 percent growth, with visitors spending the month of Ramadan and Al-Fitr holiday, but room rates were still 8.5 percent lower.