Hotel room rates rise by 31%

Average room rates of star hotels in eight major tourist spots in the country have climbed by 31 per cent in the financial year-ended March 2006 to Rs 5,859 compared with Rs 4,471 in the previous financial year, according to a latest report from HVS International, the hospitality consultancy firm.

The places include metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad Goa and Jaipur.

Bangalore witnessed the largest growth in room rates during the year at 41 per cent to Rs 11,100 compared with Rs 7,880 in the previous year.

In Mumbai, the growth was 30.17 per cent to Rs 6,450 compared with Rs 4,955 in the previous year.

Meanwhile, room rates in New Delhi during the period increased by 35.57 per cent to Rs 7,050 compared with Rs 5,200 last year.

The ARR in Kolkata increased by 13.60 per cent to Rs 3,650 compared with Rs 3,213.

In Chennai, room rates during the year touched Rs 4,675, a growth of 26.7 per cent compared with Rs 3,662 reported in the previous year.

In Hyderabad, the increase was 30.37 per cent to Rs 4,550 compared with Rs 3,490 in the previous year.

Goa's ARR increased to Rs 5,000, 33 per cent growth compared with Rs 3,764.

Room rates in Jaipur grew 22 per cent to Rs 4,400 compared with Rs 3,604 in the previous year. The occupancy for the year under review increased to 75.12 per cent compared with 72.58 per cent in the previous year.

Bangalore registered an occupancy of 79 per cent (80.5 per cent), while for Mumbai it was 74 per cent (72.4 per cent) and New Delhi it was 80 per cent (79 per cent).

Kolkata registered an occupancy of 77 per cent (69.5 per cent), while in Chennai it was 73 per cent (71.7 per cent) and for Hyderabad the figure was 82 per cent (77.6 per cent).

The tourist-friendly Goa saw 67-per cent occupancy (62.8 per cent), while for the pink city, Jaipur the figure was 69 per cent (67.2 per cent).

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