Destination Niagara report showes increase in Falls guests this summer

Rob Creenan, Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
·3 min read

Nov. 1—A recent report from Destination Niagara USA indicates that more people are coming to and spending money in the Falls based on metrics related to hotel occupancy and rates.

Data from Smith Travel Research showed consistent increases in hotel occupancy, the average daily rate, and revenue per available room in Niagara County this summer compared to last year.

June 2022 had a 75.3% occupancy rate, a 12% increase over June 2021, an average daily rate of $150.98, an 8.7% increase, and $113.68 in revenue per available room, a 21.9% increase.

July 2022 saw an 83% occupancy rate, a 2.5% increase over July 2021, an average daily rate of $194.47, a 6.8% increase, and $61.35 in revenue per available room, a 9.5% increase.

August 2022 had a 79.9% occupancy rate, a 0.8% increase over August 2021, an average daily rate of $180.77, a 4.4% increase, and $144.50 in revenue per available room, a 5.2% increase.

The average daily rate metric indicates how successful a hotel is at maximizing room rates and the revenue per room metric determines how successful hotels are at filling rooms.

Through August of this year, Niagara Falls hotels had a 54.4% occupancy rate, a 9.7% increase over 2021, an average daily rate of $146.32, a 6.9% increase, and a revenue per available room of $79.56, a 17.3% increase.

Destination Niagara Director of Communications Sara Harvey said that occupancy for the summer in Niagara Falls had exceeded national averages, indicating the strength of the destination in tourism terms for 2022.

These numbers, part of an overall presentation from Destination Niagara done before the Niagara County Legislature on Sept. 13 and the Niagara Falls City Council on Oct. 5, covered 31 properties in Niagara County, 27 of which are in Niagara Falls accounting for 2,887 rooms, not counting the Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino. The other 4 properties are from Lewiston and Lockport.

Harvey attributed the increases to how people have become increasingly comfortable with travel as COVID-19 restrictions have loosened and its marketing campaigns targeting those within a six-hour drive.

"Niagara Falls USA is on the bucket list for many, and with rising gas prices, it became an even more attractive option for those within a one-day drive of the destination," Harvey said. "Tourists visiting Niagara Falls USA spend over $600 million annually supporting hotels, attractions, restaurants and other economic businesses, bolstering the economic position and vitality of the community."

One statewide tourism report released in September that was commissioned by Philadelphia-based Tourism Economics, found that tourists spent $831 million in Niagara County in 2021, a 9.3% increased compared to 2019's pre-COVID levels. $52 million of local taxes in 2021 were generated by tourism, a 10% increase over 2019.

That report also showed that of the five counties that make up the Greater Niagara Region (Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties), Niagara County was the most dependent on tourism, with 13.2% of all labor income, or $433.3 million, generated by visitors. Harvey noted that tourism is the second largest employer in Niagara County after agriculture.