Nearly four years after September 11 while New York City has recovered well in hotel occupancies, it is still recovering in average daily rate.
Per Hellmann, vice president and general manager of the Millennium Broadway, said that average daily rates were still not back to pre-911 levels.
"We are still 10 percent down on 2000 levels," he said. "Having said that, I was amazed by how quickly we climbed back to 75-85 percent occupancy."
In the difficult period after 911, the hotel focused on weekend and leisure business, efforts which have paid off, said Maggie, director of sales.
Rates though suffered as those tactics included deep discounting.
The comeback was strongest last year and the recovery has continued strongly into the first quarter of 2005.
Helping New York City climb back on its feet this year has been a strong surge of visitors from Europe – fuelled by the strong Euro – and a return of certain markets in Asia.
"Because of the weak US dollar, more Americans are also travelling within the country," said Hellmann.
More work needs to be done though to attract the European business traffic, which is still not as strong as before, said O'Brien.
The hotel, whose business is 90 percent domestic, is keen to diversify into the international market. It has hired Daniel Tan, from the Los Angeles Biltmore, to grow the Asian market, in particular.
"We need to get more international business – they stay longer, they come during the weekends and they spend more money," said O'Brien.
It believes its connections with Asia – through the Millennium brand and ownership by the Singapore-based Hong Leong Group – will stand it in good stead in attracting the Asian traveler.
It recently spent US$12 million on renovating its Superior and Classic rooms with Asian-inspired design.
The renovation features Asian touches such as Japanese Zen garden-inspired carpets, Chinese partition screens and a European-Japanese-style platform bed.
"We are located in the world's most cosmopolitan city," said Hellmann. "It is right that our rooms should reflect that cosmopolitan feel and we wanted to give them a stronger Asian feel."
Its biggest competitive edge though is the Millennium Conference Centre, with 100,000 square feet of dedicated conference space. Combined with the historic Hudson Theatre, which serves as a venue for meetings, events and presentations, it has made Millennium Broadway "the best conference centre hotel in New York City".
"These two facilities set us apart from the competition," said Hellmann.
To drive up average daily rate, the hotel also offers a Premier Wing, which is operated as a separate facility. It has its own entry, own check-in, a Premier lounge and business-friendly rooms.
A soft refurbishment is in the works for the Premier, which currently fetches a $50 premium above rooms in the main wing.
Thus far, the hotel has spent US$14 million in total on renovation of its facilities and it is budgeted to spend another US$4 million.
All renovation and restoration work is expected to be completed by September 2006, a time when New York City's hotel industry would have more than fully recovered from the trauma of 911.
"As a New Yorker, it has been incredible for me to see how the city and its people pulled together after 911. It is stronger than it ever was," said Hellmann.
Yeoh Siew Hoon is a weekly contributor of 4Hoteliers.com writing the popular column, The SHY Report which highlights the weeks' trends and issues in the hospitality industry.
Asia's most respected travel editors and commentators, Yeoh Siew Hoon.
Siew Hoon, who has covered the tourism industry in Asia/Pacific for the past 20 years, runs SHY Ventures Pte Ltd. Her company's mission is "Content, Communication, Connection". She is a writer, speaker, facilitator, trainer and events producer. She is also an author, having published "Around Asia In 1 Hr: Tales of Condoms, Chillies & Curries". Her motto is ‘free to do, and be'. Contacts: Tel: 65-63424934, Mobile: 65-96801460 
