ORLANDO, Florida—For the first time in years, Orlando hoteliers don’t see an end in sight to a downward spiral of occupancy, average daily rates and revenue per available room.
Occupancy in the area has been falling since April 2008 and has experienced sharp declines in the first few months of 2009, according to Smith Travel Research data. In February, occupancy dropped 12.5 percent, and in March, occupancy plummeted 18 percent. RevPAR has followed suit, declining between 15 percent and 28 percent per month in late 2008 and the first four months of 2009.
“With occupancy down through May, RevPAR is down year to date,” said Daryl Cronk, director of research for the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This also is affecting collections of the county’s tourist development tax, which helps fund the destination’s marketing programs.”
