I-Journey

U.S. hotels are having a standout summer. For the week ending July 18, nationwide occupancy reached 72.4% — up 1.1 points from the same week last year — while average daily rate climbed 5.2% to $174.49 and revenue per available room rose 6.3% to $126.33, according to industry data.

The FIFA World Cup is doing a lot of the lifting. The tournament is projected to generate nearly $900 million in incremental hotel room revenue across host markets this summer. Layer that on top of ordinary peak-season demand and the numbers compound: hotel demand for the Fourth of July weekend alone was up 48% year over year, with average rates up 30%.

Travelers are adjusting rather than skipping trips. Even with 57% of Americans saying travel costs more than it did last year, 56% still planned a summer trip — often by choosing closer or cheaper destinations, driving instead of flying, or picking hotels with stronger amenities to make the higher price feel worth it.

Sources: Hotel News Resource, TravelAge West