Lifted by the upcoming holiday season, occupancy on the books is rising in Australia’s key hotel markets with Brisbane and Adelaide nearing 70% for New Year’s Eve.

“The timing is perfect for Australia’s hotels as restrictions are eased just as the holidays draw nearer and summer begins in the southern hemisphere,” said Matthew Burke, STR’s regional manager for the Pacific region.

“Occupancy on the books is once again trending upward, and throughout the holidays, levels are already sitting above 60% in some key markets. With more reopening around the country, and leisure travelers booking in shorter windows, levels are likely to increase further as we move closer to the new year.”

Following lower periods next week, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney each show rising occupancy on the books after Christmas that eventually builds to high points on 31 December.

Adelaide, with early December peaks above 70% for this coming weekend (Ashes Test), dips as low as 31.6% (21 December) before gradually rising to 67.4% on New Year’s Eve. Brisbane, which falls as low as 41.8% (22 December), rises to a high of 68.5% on New Year’s Eve. Melbourne and Sydney occupancy on the books hit highs of 57.9% and 53.0%, respectively.

“Booking levels obviously tail off after the holiday, which is partly due to continued uncertainty, but also because of the traditional shift to business demand,” said Burke. “What is encouraging is that the occupancy-on-the-books trend for all destinations is improving each week. If the pandemic situation remains stable, it is anticipated to strengthen further. A rise in any restrictions will undoubtedly slow that trajectory.”

Paris leads Europe in New Year’s hotel booking levels

Lifted by the upcoming holiday season, hotel occupancy on the books is rising in Paris with a peak of more than 70% on New Year’s Eve, according to STR’s Forward STAR.

As of 13 December, Paris’ occupancy on the books sat at 71.1% for 31 December, which was the highest across Europe’s key markets and the highest for the French capital over the next 90 days. From that high point, booking levels gradually decrease to a January low of 10.5% on the 31st.  

For comparison, Rome and London New Year’s Eve occupancy on the books sits at 56.1% and 52.3%, respectively, while Brussels is even lower at 34.3%.

“Some European markets have been more successful than others in pulling themselves up from pandemic low points despite a massive void in international arrivals,” said Thomas Emanuel, STR’s director. “With the upcoming holiday season, Paris has shown stronger hotel demand than other European capitals. Some of those capitals, such as Brussels and Vienna, continue to struggle to generate momentum due to increased restrictions in the markets.”

All of STR’s COVID-19 analysis can be found here.