Manchester’s hotels market remains strong

MANCHESTER’s hotels market continued its recent run of form in March, with occupancy rates holding steady at 74.6% – a 1.3% increase on the prior year.

Room rates fell slightly by 0.5% to £72.11 but overall room yields were up 0.8% to £53.79.

Liverpool’s year-on-year occupancy rates climbed by 1.9% increase in occupancy rates to 68.5%, combined with a 3.6% increase in average room rate to £67.12, resulting in a 5.6% rise in rooms yield to £45.98.

Blackpool also enjoyed a 6.4% rise in occupancy rates to 63.8%; but room rates dropped 6.7% £52.99, meaning yields fell 0.7% to £33.81.

Chester improved its position in March, after a particularly bad February when the city suffered a 14% fall in rooms yield in the year-on-year results. Occupancy rates recovered in March by 14.7% to 67.7%, and although room rates remained steady, yields climbed by 14.6% increase in rooms yield to £38.42.

Mark Sykes, partner at PKF, said: “The volatility of the hotels market in the region was once again all too evident in March.

“April’s figures may prove to be a washout as a result of the bad whether.  However, we are hopeful that the results for the following months will show some improvement as we see the effects of the three bank holiday weekends and families staycationing.”