Central Florida Hotel Occupancy, Room Rates Up

ORLANDO-This area’s 110,000-room hotel market posted a healthy 67.8% occupancy rate in November, the last period audited by Tennessee-based Smith Travel Research. The 67.8% number is 1.2% higher than the 67% occupancy level in November 1999. In seven individual submarkets, however, only three sectors showed occupancy rises.

Average daily room rates crept up in all seven submarkets. Central Florida’s average rate of $85.49 per day topped the same 1999 month of $82.38 by 3.8%.

The Lake Buena Vista market, home of Walt Disney World and three dozen other name attractions, posted the best occupancy level, 78.4% versus 76% in November 1999. Lake Buena Vista also had the highest average room rate, $114.44 compared to $110.30 previously, a jump of 3.8%.