Phoenix Area Hotel Occupancy Tops 40%
Phoenix in Top 5 after steady weekly gains
PHOENIX, AZ. (MAY 29, 2020) –– The most recent weekly Arizona tourism data shows hotel occupancy in the Phoenix region at 40.1% for the week of May 17 - May 23, representing a strong gain of nearly 7 percentage points over last week. That places Phoenix with the 4th highest occupancy rate among the Top 25 U.S. markets. Occupancy is down 45% year-over-year but is 7 percentage points better than last week.
Additionally, Revenue Per Available Room, or RevPAR, for the week in Phoenix also improved and was down 60% over the same week last year. Phoenix is now outpacing the national figure of 70%. RevPAR, which is used industry-wide, is the most comprehensive measure of lodging performance.
“As people are traveling more, Phoenix-area hotel and resort occupancy continues to increase,” said Debbie Johnson, Director of the Arizona Office of Tourism. “The Memorial Day weekend and our resorts being able to offer pool facilities, in-restaurant dining and spa services, have really helped send occupancy in the right direction.”
Arizona drive traffic increases
While still far below how frequently they were traveling prior to COVID-19 (Arizonans are traveling by car away from home 44% less now than they did prior to the beginning of the crisis in February), each week has seen steady increases in the number of Arizonans venturing out, according to data measured on May 26 by the Arrivalist Daily Travel Index. Compared to the prior week, car travel by Arizonans is up 22.6%, and Americans as a whole are traveling 23.9% more this week than last week. This is most likely due to the long holiday weekend. The index measures data through the movement of cars and defines a visitor as someone who travels at least 50 miles outside their home area.
Travelers altering trips drops slightly
As of May 20, 2020, 73% of American travelers with trips planned in the next six months said they’ll change their travel plans due to COVID-19. This data is from a weekly survey of American Travelers, conducted by Longwoods International.
The Arizona Office of Tourism provides this data on a weekly basis to help paint an accurate picture of the challenges facing Arizona’s tourism industry, which employed 192,000 Arizonans and contributed $1 billion to the state’s budget in 2018, and to track its recovery as a critical driver of Arizona’s economy.
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Media Contact: Josh Coddington, (480) 438-4700, [email protected]
About the Arizona Office of Tourism
The Arizona Office of Tourism works to strengthen and grow Arizona's economy through travel and tourism promotion, positioning Arizona as the leading tourism destination for domestic and international travelers. Tourism is a key industry that provides positive economic impacts to every community, city and county across the state.