Bristol hotels enjoy summer business boom

Bristol hotels have seen a boost in visitors to the city, after a record number of people went there this summer.
Hoteliers also benefited from displaced demand due to major events in nearby Cardiff, which did not have enough accommodation of its own.

According to data from Destination Bristol, August 2017 saw the best weekend performance from Bristol hotels ever recorded.

The data also reported visits to key Bristol attractions rose by up to 20% compared to August 2016.

Meanwhile, HotStats said that Bristol was one of the top performing markets in the UK in July, and achieved a record revenue per available room (RevPAR) figure in June.

Bristol also outperformed compared to other hotels in the UK. Across the country there was a reported 4.4% increase in RevPAR in July 2017 compared to July 2016, but in Bristol, that increase was 7.9%, with the city’s hotels enjoying an occupancy rate of nearly 85%.

The Bristol Hoteliers Association welcomed the figures, as Mark Payne, chairman, said: “The weather may not have been consistent this summer, but business at Bristol’s hotels has been, which is excellent news since the hotels in Greater Bristol have a major role to play in the prosperity of the city and its surrounding areas.

“There are a number of factors which have contributed to this, not least of which is the quality and quantity of available accommodation, coupled with the many events and attractions that this vibrant city has to offer.”

He added: “Other factors include the poor exchange rate, which has prompted more people to enjoy city breaks and ‘staycations’ in the UK, as well as making it more affordable for foreign visitors to come to our country.”

The VisitBristol website attracted 284,000 visitors, its highest total for August ever, and there was the highest number of conference enquiries in an August since 2004.