London, Aberdeen and Edinburgh were the only UK cities to see their average hotel rates rise during the first half of 2013, according to a report by business travel firm HRG.
Average room rates rose in 31 of the top 50 global cities during the first six months of the year compared to the same period in 2012, with Moscow being the most expensive city for the 10th consecutive year with a rate of £263.07.
London rates reached £164.63, which was a modest increase of 0.7 per cent year-on-year. Hotel prices rose by 1.5 per cent to £172 in central London and the West End but dropped slightly in the City also to £172. Rates in Hammersmith and Kensington rose by 7 per cent to £160 while Docklands prices were up 3 per cent to £159.
A boom in the energy sector helped Aberdeen to see the biggest UK rise of 18 per cent to £130.01, while Edinburgh rates rose by 1 per cent to £90.47.
But elsewhere average rates have been lower than last year – Manchester (down 3 per cent to £90.57), Newcastle (down 4 per cent to £88.17), Glasgow (down 1 per cent to £84.35), Belfast (down 2 per cent to £86.43) and Liverpool (down 1 per cent to £77.67).
Elsewhere hotel rates in North America have been boosted by the country’s economic recovery with rises across all markets – particularly in cities such as New York, Chicago and Toronto.
Margaret Bowler, HRG’s director of global hotel relations, said: “The early sign of recovery in hotel prices is encouraging, what is a surprise however is that in certain key cities the rates are not as high as the market had expected – in many cities this is attributed to new supply.
“On the whole occupancy is increasing faster which, coupled with continued high demand, means we will be likely to see rates climbing in certain markets in the second half of the year and beyond.”
hrgworldwide.com