Dublin hotel occupancy up by 8% after strong summer

OCCUPANCY rates in Dublin hotels rose by 8% year-on-year during the first nine months of 2011, according to figures published yesterday.

Daily occupancy rates were up by 6% and revenue per room showed like-for-like growth of nearly 15%. The rise in customer numbers came despite the average daily rate being charged by hotels rising from €77.51 to €82.41.

“The picture that’s emerging from Dublin hotels in 2011 is one of steady recovery; albeit the margins being achieved are still relatively small. The latest figures show that the summer season in 2011 has been considerably stronger than in 2010; which will come as a considerable relief,” said Kevin Sheehan, who heads the tourism, hospitality and leisure services division of business advisory firm Deloitte, which carried out the survey.

“There is no doubt that the market remains challenging for hoteliers, not least due to the ongoing uncertainty in the eurozone, which isn’t helping consumer sentiment both here and in target markets across Europe,” he added.

“However, the real positive that we can take from these figures is that hotels may now be on the road to recovery, as opposed to being in survival mode.

“Of paramount importance will be how that recovery is managed — price competitiveness will need to be maintained, as will innovative and high quality service offerings.”

Mr Sheehan said a number of high-profile international events which are coming to the capital over the coming year, including the visit of the Tall Ships, should offer hoteliers ample opportunities on which to capitalise.

“The challenge now, as consumers remain price sensitive, will be to ensure their proposition remains competitive and attractive,” Mr Sheehan added.