Hotels in London have recorded a 2.6 per cent decline in profit per room in 2016 while hotels in Edinburgh experienced a 12 per cent increase in profit per room,Êaccording to the latest data from HotStats.
Whilst the addition of more 4,500 bedrooms of new supply into the capital undoubtedly diluted room occupancy performance, leading to a 0.4 percentage point decline to 80.8 per cent, a 1.1 per centÊincrease in achieved average room rate to £154.26, helped to recoup the occupancy losses and drive growth in RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) to £124.60 for 2016.
However, in a bid to achieve RevPAR growth for year-end 2016, hotels in London failed to maintain growth in other departments, suffering declines in ancillary revenues, including Food and Beverage (-0.9 per cent) and Conference and Banqueting (-2.7 per cent). As a result of the decline in ancillary revenues, the 0.5 per centÊgrowth in RevPAR was entirely cancelled out and London hotels recorded a 0.6 per centÊdrop in Total Revenue in 2016. Furthermore, a 36.8 per centÊyear-on-year increase in Rooms Costs of Sales for the month of December suggests that the proportion of demand booking via high-cost Online Travel Agents into London increased significantly as hoteliers fought to record an increase in RevPAR for year-end 2016.
As a result of the rising costs across the operation, hotels in London recorded a profit decline in both the Rooms (-0.4 per cent) and Food and Beverage (-3.8 per cent) departments in 2016, further compounding the overall profit decline at hotels in the capital this year.
Edinburgh hotels top the profit growth table in 2016
Hotels in Edinburgh recorded a 12.0 per centÊincrease in profit per room in 2016, as hotel managers in the Scottish capital were able to combine an increase in revenues with a reduction in costs. Profit growth for Edinburgh hotels is once again at the top of the table of key cities in the UK following a mixed profit performance in 2014 (+4.4 per cent) and 2015 (-0.4 per cent).
The growth in revenue in the Scottish capital was led by strong room occupancy levels, which remained amongst the highest in the UK in 2016, increasing by 1.4 percentage points to 82.9 per centÊenabling hoteliers to leverage achieved average room rate by 8.4 per cent, to a record high of £114.15.
The growth in the achieved rate in the leisure (+13.2 per cent) as well as corporate (+4.6 per cent) segments suggests Edinburgh remains a key economic and visitor hub. Furthermore, the ongoing success of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival fuelled an 11.6 per centÊincrease in RevPAR in August to £163.25. In addition to the growth in revenue in 2016, hotels in Edinburgh recorded a 0.4 percentage point decline in payroll to 27.4 per centÊof total revenue, helping to drive a profit conversion of 38.3 per centÊof total revenue.
Absence of events in Cardiff in 2016 hits hotel profit hard
Profit per room at Cardiff hotels fell by 6.1 per centÊin 2016 due to the absence of a number of key events in the city, but particularly the demand created by the 2015 Rugby World Cup fixtures.
Despite a positive first half of the year for hotels in Cardiff, during which they achieved a 3.6 per centÊincrease in RevPAR and a 5.1 per cent increase in profit per room, such was the significance of the year-on-year declines in September and October that the entire year of performance was negatively impacted.
