Total revpar hits high at UK hotels in July

UK hotels achieved the highest ever monthly total revenue per available room (trevpar) figure in July, up 5.6% to £162.48, according to new figures from data company HotStats.

The performance was above the previous trevpar high of £161.14 recorded in September 2017 and represented a second consecutive month of growth in what has otherwise been a tough year of trading for full-service hotels.

The growth in total revenue was driven by a 7.9% increase in revpar, which hit £114.34 in July, and was also a record, far exceeding the previous high of £107.14 achieved 10 months earlier.

Occupancy across the UK was up 1.7 percentage points to 87.1%, alongside a 5.7% increase to £131.21 in average room rate.

July's growth in rooms revenue was supported by a slight year-on-year increase in food & beverage (up 0.4%) on a per available room basis, while conference and banqueting revenue was down by 0.6%.

Leisure business led the robust increase in demand, accounting for 36% of room nights during the month, well above the annual average of 31.9% for the 12 months to July 2018.

In London, business was boosted by Wimbledon, the Hampton Court Flower Show, the Pride Parade and the British Summertime Festival in Hyde Park.

Pablo Alonso, chief executive of HotStats, said: "July is not historically a month during which UK hoteliers would expect to be achieving a trevpar high.

"The strength of demand has been attributed to an uplift in staycations since the Brexit vote, as well as an increase in international visitors to the UK. The improvement will be to the delight of hotel owners and operators as July presents an opportunity to drive revenue and profit which previously did not exist."

Hotels continuing to face the challenge of rising costs >>

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Hotels see profit per room fall 5.1% in February >>

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