Visit Savannah released the June, 2017 Smith Travel Accommodations Report showing an increase in both occupancy and room rate over the same period of June of last year.
 
Total hotel/motel occupancy for the market went from 75.3 percent to 78.6 percent over 2016, an increase of almost 4.5 percent over last year. The STAR also details revenue per available room which increased 5.8 percent over 2016, from $88.84 to $93.99.
 
“Given all the new available lodging inventory throughout Savannah and Chatham County, the year-to-date key performance measurables continue to be extremely impressive,” says Visit Savannah President Joseph Marinelli. “There are more rooms available in the market than ever before, yet hotel occupancies and average rates are stronger now at this mid-year point than they have been in any other mid-year point of the past.”
 
Savannah’s tourism increase over the previous year tops overall occupancy for the state, which measured at 69.7 percent.  “Demand is very strong for destinations like ours and others in the region,” says Marinelli, “including Charleston, Asheville and Amelia Island. Yet Savannah continually ranks at or near the top of every category.”