Hotel occupancy growth still positive for year

Hotel occupancy rates and room revenue in Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties through October continued to be ahead of the same period last year, despite October decreases in Napa County, according to PKF Consulting, which tracks the hospitality industry.

In the 10 months ended in October, hotel occupancy rates were up by 6.9 percent in Sonoma County, 5.5 percent in Marin and Napa leading the way at 8 percent, according to PKF.

For October, occupancy in Sonoma County was up 3.3 percent, while Marin was essentially flat with a 0.2 percent increase. Napa County slipped by 1.5 percent in the month of October despite the yearly increase, the report said. 

For the year through October, revenue per available room was up by more than 11 percent in each county -- 11.2 percent in Sonoma County, 11.6 percent in Napa and 11.8 percent in Marin. The measure indicates that the increase in occupancy rates is not coming at the expense of hotels slashing room rates to fill them.

For the month of October, however, revenue per available room, or RevPAR, decreased in Napa by 2.1 percent, while it increased by 4 percent in Sonoma and soared by 11.2 percent in Marin.

While the numbers from PKF suggest a drop off in Napa Valley for October, Clay Gregory, CEO of the Napa Valley Destination Council, last week unveiled early figures through November in the county. Occupancy rates and RevPAR were both up for the year, by 7 percent and 15.7 percent, respectively.

Mr. Gregory said a busy November that featured high-profile events like Flavor Napa Valley boosted rates and revenues significantly.

Marin County had the largest increase in average daily room rates for October -- 11 percent to $137.93 --  from a year before, according to PKF. Sonoma County's rate crept up by 0.6 percent, while Napa slipped 0.5 percent.

But for first 10 months of this year, all average daily room rates in three counties increased compared with the pace a year before. The rate increased 5.9 percent in Marin, 4 percent in Sonoma and 3.3 percent in Napa.

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