L.A. County Hotels Bounce Back in February

Los Angeles County hotels were 80% full during February, which helped to erase most of a 5% drop in guest volume in January, tourism officials said. The rescheduling of a major convention of music merchants from January to February was one of the primary forces behind the figures for both months, said Michael Collins of the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. Last year, the National Assn. of Music Merchants convention was scheduled from Jan. 28 to 31. This year, the event was held from Feb. 3 to 6, sending January’s occupancy rate down to roughly 67% and February’s up to 79.9%, Collins said. The convention draws from 50,000 to 60,000 attendees.

Also in February, hotel operators charged guests 5% more per overnight stay this year compared with the previous year, according to statistics compiled by San Francisco-based PKF Consulting. Average price per room in February rose from $117.84 last year to $123.69 this year. Collins said the rate hike is an indication that demand for Los Angeles among business and leisure travelers remains high and will probably stay strong through the spring and summer. The rate hike “suggests there is consistent demand for this market and that bodes well for strong occupancy,” he said. Tourism is the county’s third-leading revenue generator behind the business support and health services sectors.