Hotels enjoy record nights of occupancy

By Laurence White

16 September 2005

NORTHERN Ireland's hotels enjoyed a record June this year, it was announced today.

The number of bedrooms sold during the month increased by 6% from 12 months previously to an all-time high.

This was partly due to the fact that there are more hotel rooms now available in the province.

However, according to the NI Tourist Board figures, hotel occupancy rose 3% to 72% compared to the previous year, making this one of the best years on record.

The big winners were hotel owners in Belfast and Londonderry. In Belfast occupancy increased by 6% to 81%.

But North Coast hoteliers fared less well, with occupancy rates there slipping by 2-3%.

The hotel trade is a good barometer of both the improved economic conditions in Northern Ireland and the greater visitor confidence in the province as a tourist destination.

The number of hotel rooms sold in June was 64% up on the same month 10 years ago.

Janice Gault, chief executive of the NI Hotels Federation, said urban hotels were benefiting from increased business from both home and abroad.

Conferences and exhibitions, she said, had helped to draw in visitors and improve hotel room sales.

And she expressed confidence that returns for the month of July would also set new records.