PWCVB: Room revenue rose 25.5% at 10 downtown hotels in April

THE PROVIDENCE WARWICK Convention & Visitors Bureau reported increases in hotel occupancy rates and the average daily rate in Providence in April compared with April 2014. / COURTESY SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH
THE PROVIDENCE WARWICK Convention & Visitors Bureau reported increases in hotel occupancy rates and the average daily rate in Providence in April compared with April 2014. / COURTESY SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH

(Updated 3:24 p.m.) PROVIDENCE – Room revenue at 10 downtown hotels climbed 25.5 percent in April and 19.7 percent in March, compared with last year, according to Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Sheridan said the bureau analyzed data from Smith Travel Research to come up with the figures. She said the city hosted numerous conventions and sports groups, which helped boost business during the first four months of the year.
January’s room revenue increased 10.6 percent, while February’s room revenue increased 8.6 percent, according to the Smith Travel Research data.
Providence’s numbers are beating the national average, she said.
From January through April, downtown hotel revenue was 16.9 percent, while nationally, it was 8.7 percent, she said.
“We’re seeing a very strong start to 2015,” Sheridan said this week. “Hopefully the trend will continue.”
“I’m fairly certain May will also be strong year over year,” she said, noting it is a busy month for college graduations. She said the city also received some of the spillover from the Volvo Ocean Race, which had its only North American stopover in Newport earlier this month.
In April, the hotel occupancy rate increased 14.3 percent year over year, while the average daily rate climbed 9.8 percent.
April’s hotel occupancy rate was 76.8 percent, while it was 72 percent in March and 55.5 percent in February. In 2014, it was 67.2 percent in April, 65.4 percent in March and 55.4 percent in February.

The average daily rate in April was $146, compared with $148 in March and $142 in February. Last year, it was $133 in April, $136 in March and $131 in February.

She said April 2015 was a busy month as a result of several events, including the Church of the Pentecost 1015 annual regional convention from April 3-5 at the R.I. Convention Center, and the National Association for Music Education biennial eastern division conference, also at the convention center, from April 9-12.
Sheridan said that the convention and visitors bureau helped book 22 groups in the greater Providence area this past April compared with 15 last year.
The 10 downtown hotels included in the review were Courtyard Providence Downtown, Providence Biltmore, Hampton Inn Suites Providence Downtown, Hilton Providence, Omni Providence Hotel, Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel, The Dean Hotel, The Hotel Providence, Wyndham Garden Hotel Providence India Point and Marriott Providence Downtown.

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