Hurricane Frances was yesterday said to have put paid to several hotels’ expectations of improved September occupancies and room rates, although some still expected to end the month ahead of 2003 comparativley.
They are also predicting a strengthening heading into October and the early winter.
Michael Hooper, the british Colonial Hilton’s general manager, said September started out relatively strongly, as the first half of the month saw occupancies at about 35 per cent.
For the past ten days, though reservations have been slow to pick up and are sitting at 45 per cent. Mr. Hooper said pre-Frances expectations for September had suggested an occupancy level of 60 plus per cent.
Based on current bookings, September, which is traditionally a quiet month, is expected to end at almost 10 percentage points belwo the Hilton’s forecasts at 52 per cent. This will be a few points below the September performance, which ended at 56.5 per cent occupancy.
Mr. Hooper said Hurricane Frances, and the subsequent threat posed by Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne, had taken a toll on occupancy levels. The impact on traveller psychology was such that october and November, expected to be both reasonably strong months heading into the winter season, were still uncertain in terms of performance.
Source: Yolanda Deleveaux, The Tribune
