Hotel Occupancy Up in Seven Out of Eight Submarkets

Metro Orlando’s hospitality industry is cooking along with positive occupancy increases in seven out of eight submarkets, and daily room hikes in four. Lake Buena Vista, home of Walt Disney World’s 30,000 rooms, shows a June occupancy of 84.3%, up 6.8% from May, according to Tennessee-based Smith Travel Research, an industry tracking firm.

Right behind Lake Buena Vista is the high-profile International Drive sector with an 83.3% occupancy, up 4.3%. Central Orlando is showing the largest percentage increase, 14.2% on occupancy of 66.1%.

Other improving markets are Central Florida as a whole, 79%, up 4.5%; North Orlando, 65%, up 5.3%; South Orlando, 69.3%, up 4.2%; and West Kissimmee, 80.5%, up .8%. The only negative performance was in East Kissimmee, 73.2%, down 1.6%.

Average daily room rates are up in Central Florida aggregately, $80.06, up 1.9%; Central Orlando, $60.64, up 2%; International Drive, $72.15, up 11.7%; and West Kissimmee, $60.43, up 3%.

Room rate decreases are evident in North Orlando, $66.99, down 1.8%; East Kissimmee, $53.07, down 3.3%; South Orlando, $66.96%, down 2%; and Lake Buena Vista, $106.48, down 2.3%.