Hotel Occupancy Rebounding, but with Some Twists

SEATTLE, WA-Chris Burdett, a VP with Colliers International Hotels, has made a career out of turning hotel deals and studying the industry. But for all his experience, he says of the market since September 11, “Nobody’s ever been in this situation before. We’re all having to learn.”

Hotel occupancy had been faltering for a while throughout the US before the attacks, and Washington was no exception. According to a newly-released report from Colliers International Hotels, statewide occupancy through August had declined 2.8%–from 69.3% in 2000 to 67.4% in 2001.

Seattle’s central business district was the only market to buck the pre-9/11 trend, positing positive occupancy growth during that period by moving up from 74.9% in August 2000 to 75.5% in August of this year.