March Record For City Centre Hotels

NEW DATA reveals Manchester City Centre hotels achieved the strongest March on record, with occupancy reaching 81% on average. 

According to research by STR Global LTD and supplied by Visit Manchester, this represents a 4% rise on March 2013 figures (77%) and a 7% rise on the March average from the years 2000-2013 (74%).

“This is the first time that the city’s hotels have achieved over 80% average occupancy for the month of March - boosted, in no small part, by the many and varied events on offer throughout the month"

Figures peaked at 98% occupancy when comedienne, Miranda Hart, performed at the Manchester  Phones 4u Arena on Saturday 15 March.  The BMX National Series and National Wedding Show events is also thought to have boosted overnight visitors to the city that same weekend.

High rates continued when 98% occupancy was also achieved on two weekday nights – Wednesday 19 March and Tuesday 25 March.

Overall weekday nights jumped from 73% last year to 78%.

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, said, “This is the first time that the city’s hotels have achieved over 80% average occupancy for the month of March - boosted, in no small part, by the many and varied events on offer throughout the month. 

“We are particularly pleased with the increase in weekday occupancy rates as this highlights the importance of business tourism, where conferences and meetings with large numbers of delegates help to provide a higher baseline on nights that would ordinarily be much quieter.”

Business tourism is said to have also played a part in boosting the overall March occupancy figure – particularly for midweek nights.

Conferences which drew overnight visitors to the city included: the International Conference on Urban Health 2014 (4-7 March, 1,000 delegates); International Bioenergy Conference 2014 (11-13 March, 300 delegates); Northern Restaurant and Bar (17-18 March, 3,000 delegates); and HC2014 National Health IT Conference (19-20 March, 700 delegates); the Federation of Small Business 2014 (27-29 March, 800 delegates).