Phoenix Area Hotel Occupancy Climbs to 49.1%
May 2020 visitor spending and state tax revenue down 80%
PHOENIX, AZ. (JULY 2, 2020) –– The most recent weekly Arizona tourism data shows hotel occupancy in the Phoenix area at 49.1% for the week of June 21 - June 27, representing another increase of 1 percentage points over last week. Phoenix had the 4th highest occupancy rate among the Top 25 U.S. markets, continuing the Top 5 trend for another week. Occupancy is down 27% year-over-year for this time period. View June 21 - June 27 Occupancy chart here.
Additionally, weekday occupancy continued to grow in the Phoenix area, with Sunday-Thursday occupancy having increased over the previous week.
Additionally, Revenue Per Available Room, or RevPAR, is down 35% over the same week last year. RevPAR, which is used industry-wide, is the most comprehensive measure of lodging performance.
May 2020 Visitor Spending Impact
Visitor spending in Arizona had been on a positive annual trajectory through February 2020. Compared to the same months in 2019, January visitor spending was up an estimated 3.6% and up 10.4% in February 2020. However, once travel was restricted due to the pandemic, this spending experienced a precipitous fall.
Typical visitor spending in Arizona in May is approximately $2 billion, resulting in $83 million in state tax revenue. Our latest data from Dean Runyan Associates indicates that visitor spending in May 2020 was $406 million with $16.8 million in estimated state tax revenue, representing an 80% decrease.
Additionally, tourism employment has been hit particularly hard by the crisis. In a normal May, tourism in Arizona would support 196,000 jobs. With spending down 80% in May, the number of jobs supported by that spending fell to 37,600.
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 all 15 counties across the state.