Victoria hotels had higher occupancy and were able to charge slightly higher prices in March than they were in March 2012.
This is an improvement on sluggish January and February, which meant B.C.’s capital city had an occupancy rate in 2013’s first quarter slightly behind that of the same period last year.
Victoria hotel rooms were occupied 59.75% of the time in March and 50.23% in the first three months of 2013, according to Chemistry Consulting Group. That compares with an occupancy rate of 57.48% in March 2012 and 50.69% for 2012’s first quarter.
“The arrival of the World Men’s Curling Championships, spring and spring break travel all helped contribute to healthy upticks in most March year-over-year indicators,” said Frank Bouree, CEO of Chemistry Consulting.
The average Victoria room rate jumped 3.3% to $102.11 in March, compared with $98.82 in March 2012. Revenue per available room night, which is a key metric in the industry, rose even more: 7.4% to $61.02 in March, compared with $56.80 in the same month a year ago.
Revenue per available room night was up a more modest 1.9% in the first three months of 2013 compared with the same period a year earlier.
