Queen City hotel room demand sets March record

The Queen City ended the first quarter with a bang, hitting a record in hotel rooms rented during March, according to Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau data.

During March, 113,933 hotel rooms were rented, the largest figure since the CVB began collecting such data in 1990. Room demand was up 4.8 percent from 108,735 in March 2013. The March occupancy rate improved to 66.1 percent from 58.3 percent in the same month a year ago, according to a news release.

First-quarter room demand reached 272,963 rooms rented, a 4.2 percent increase over 261,899 in the same period of the prior year. During the three months ended March 31, rooms were 54.1 percent occupied, up from 48.4 percent in the first-quarter 2013.

Room sales came in at $19.7 million during the first quarter, up about 8 percent from $18.3 million in the same quarter of 2013. March sales tallied $8.5 million, compared to $7.9 million in the same month last year, according to the CVB.

CVB President Tracy Kimberlin said upward movement in hotel sales can have a direct impact on the economy, creating jobs at hotels and travel-related businesses such as restaurants and attractions.

“The hospitality industry was hit hard by the Great Recession,” Kimberlin said in the release. “Fortunately, it appears as though it is finally behind us.”

The CVB released the data as the hospitality industry celebrates the May 3-11 National Travel & Tourism Week, when destinations countrywide showcase the effects travel and tourism have on the economy, according to the release.