Season Moves Into Second Half; Eastern Resorts Show 6.5 Percent January Lodging Gain

A “halftime report” from DestiMetrics is showing an overall 4.7 percent increase in occupancy compared to last year and 10 percent increase in revenue moving into the second half of the season. Company officials credit the jump to divergent weather patterns in the east and west and continued good economic news.

Western resorts saw actual occupancy up an aggregated 2.7 percent, while eastern resorts posted a 6.5 percent gain. Both regions were up year-to-date, but February results may differ. Western resorts look to be down 1.8 percent, while the continuously storm-slapped eastern resorts are looking at a 6.2 percent gain.

“We saw a distinct drop in the aggregated booking pace during January for the next six months in both regions,” said DestiMetrics Director Ralf Garrison. “For western resorts, that decline is primarily due to the lack of snow in the Sierra and Pacific Northwest. Eastern resorts had a very different problem as they had to combat negative public perception that the bitter cold weather hitting major eastern cities was stretching to their slopes where temperatures and conditions were near normal.”

DestiMetrics data is derived from a sample of property management companies in five western states and six eastern states, representing a total of more than 31,000 rooms.

Photo: Jordan Hotel, Sunday River, Maine (Sunday River)