Accommodation Occupancy Rates Best in Five Years

Throughout recent months I have had this statement affirmed to me by many local complex managers; all claiming to have had their best previous 12-month period since the GFC. I am told by most managers that since 2010 each year has shown a marked improvement in trend occupancy rates in turn positively influencing the nightly room rates achieved. This is welcomed news for many owners of holiday apartments who have been hit with a double-edged sword following the GFC with decreased returns and also increased expenses almost exclusively associated with rising strata-title insurance levies.

HOTELIERS in the Far North have had their best three months of occupancy rates in five years.

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The latest edition of the Tourism and Transport Forum-HOSTPLUS National Accommodation Barometer shows continuing strong demand for accommodation in Australia.

Forum chief executive John Lee said the industry was benefiting from the relatively strong Australian economy and popularity of short breaks.

“Demand for accommodation in our capitals, along with the Gold Coast and Cairns, is very strong at 81.3 per cent for the September quarter, on par with the same period in 2011,” he said.

“Pleasingly, Cairns saw an occupancy rate of 76.6 per cent for the quarter.

“Port Douglas saw very strong revenue per available room growth compared with the September 2011 quarter.”

Accor’s Cairns hotels finished last year with an average occupancy for its city hotels of 80.1 per cent, up more than 1 percentage point on 2011 and almost 9 percentage points ahead of the overall Cairns market.

A stand-out performed for the group was the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, which achieved its highest occupancy on record, averaged 84 per cent for the year.

Pullman Reef Hotel Casino general manager Wayne Reynolds said the strength of occupancy last year augured well for this year.

“...We saw an increase in meetings and conferences, along with growth in domestic leisure and inbound business, particularly from China...”

“Pleasingly, we saw an increase in meetings and conferences, along with growth in domestic leisure and inbound business, particularly from China,” he said.

Article printed in The Cairns Post – 31st January 2013

Peter Musso licensed real estate agent at Ray White Smithfield selling property in Cairns' beautiful northern beach suburbs including Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach, Palm Cove, Trinity Park, Smithfield, Yorkeys Knob, Holloways Beach, Machans Beach, Caravonica, Kamerunga and surrounds.