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That was down from about 64% occupancy in September 2008 and 73% the year before. Average hotel room prices fell by less than 2% in September, which was the lowest year-to-year decline so far in 2009.
Staff Report
Published Oct. 15, 2009
Charleston County hotels averaged 61% occupancy during September.
That was down from about 64% occupancy in September 2008 and 73% the year before, according to data from the College of Charleston’s Office of Tourism Analysis.
Charleston-area hotels, on average, have seen year-over-year occupancy rates drop every month of 2009, after 12 straight months of declining numbers in 2008.
The total number of hotel room nights sold also was down during September, by about 8% compared with last year.
Hotels countywide sold 275,707 room nights. In September 2008, hotels sold a total of 299,364 room nights. Two years ago, hotels sold 327,770 room nights.
Average hotel room rates dropped less than 2% in September from last year’s rates, to $114.16. The drop was the lowest year-over-year rate decline in any month so far this year. In previous months, year-over-year rate decreases have ranged from about 5% to 10%.
Hotels in the peninsula and West Ashley submarkets sold more rooms — 5% and 2%, respectively — in September than the prior year. But drops of nearly 14% and 16.5% in demand in the North Charleston and East Cooper submarkets offset those gains in the countywide average.
Year-to-date, local hotels’ occupancy rates have averaged 67.5%.
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