Bristol’s hotels are enjoying a strong recovery as the city increasingly becomes a centre for major conferences and cultural events, according to a new survey.
Month-on-month increases in room yields and occupancy levels are stronger than those for the UK as a whole, accountancy and business advisory firm BDO says in its latest sector report. 
While most towns and cities in the South West outperformed the regional UK average, Bristol, along with Plymouth, was the region’s star performer during the third quarter with an increase in room yield – the amount of revenue generated by each available room – of 6.8%. The UK average outside London was 3.5%.
The city’s occupancy levels also increased to 75.2% over the period – in September alone occupancy grew by 8.4%. However, the average cost of a hotel room in Bristol at the end of September had fallen by 1.4% year on year to £61.31.
Neil Dimes, partner in BDO’s Bristol office, said: “In September we saw the business and corporate market come back with force in Bristol with a number of events held in the city boosting occupancy growth including the Green Doors Fair, Bio Dynamic Conference and the annual SPAHG (Spatial Planning & Health Group) Conference. Hopefully this will continue in the run up to Christmas.”
He added that Bristol’s leisure and hospitality sector would receive a significant boost if the city gets its long-awaited arena.
BDO’s hotel trends surveys feature a broad range of hotels across the country although mainly in the 3 – 4 star categories and featuring rather more chain operated hotels than those operated independently.
