Hotel occupancy rates on the rise in Newport, Prov.-Warwick area

THE HYATT REGENCY NEWPORT has a clear view of the harbor and the Pell Bridge to Jamestown. Tourism experts said hotel occupancy rates in Newport increased in July.  / COURTESY JOHN BELLENIS
THE HYATT REGENCY NEWPORT has a clear view of the harbor and the Pell Bridge to Jamestown. Tourism experts said hotel occupancy rates in Newport increased in July. / COURTESY JOHN BELLENIS

Hotel occupancy rates in the Newport and Providence-Warwick areas increased year to date in Newport, and year over year in July for Providence and Warwick, tourism experts report.

According to Evan Smith, president and CEO of Discover Newport, Newport occupancy rates, which reflect the ratio of occupied rooms to the total number of rooms, have been at or near capacity throughout the summer.

He cited data from Smith Travel Research Inc.’s STR Report showing July’s occupancy rate at 85.7 percent. Year to date through July, the occupancy rate was 63.2 percent, a 12.4 percent increase from the prior year period.

Smith Travel Research also reported that the average daily rate, which is the average rental rate for a single room, was $305 in Newport in July. Year to date, the average rental rate for a room was $203.80, an increase of 5.7 percent.

- Advertisement -

According to Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, July occupancy increased 11.2 percent to 83.9 percent compared with last July.
July’s average daily room rate in the Providence-Warwick area rose 14.6 percent, to $164.50 from $143.57 last year. And revenue per available room, or RevPAR, increased 27.4 percent, to $137.98 from $108.33 in July 2014, Sheridan said.
Both Labor Day weekend and fall travel stand to benefit from the positive momentum, Smith said.
“We’re delighted about the success we’ve had this summer, so we’re looking back on that and want to give kudos to everyone who worked so hard to sell the destination,” he said.
“When you enjoy success like this, you can look at market conditions and that’s a factor, but the other factor is how hard the industry worked to market the destination. Not only Discover Newport, but hotels, attractions and restaurants work hard to promote their business.”

No posts to display