According to the Federation of Hoteliers, hotel occupancy was seven per cent higher last month, when compared with September 2009. Last year only 68.1 per cent of beds available during the month were occupied, whereas this year the figure reached over 75 per cent. This is still some way behind the figures recorded in 2006 and 2007, with 79 per cent and 81 per cent respectively. The annual figure is expected to reach at least 70 per cent, an improvement on the 64.7 per cent registered in 2009. Unfortunately higher occupancy does not equal higher profitability, as most hoteliers have found themselves having to discount rooms by up to 20 per cent just to fill their establishments.
