Birmingham’s hotel sector has come out fighting amid figures that suggest its summer has descended into something of a damp squib.

According to figures from PKF Hotel Consultancy Services, in July, from a total of 1,900 available rooms in the city, occupancy was down 8.8 per cent at 64 per cent compared with the same month last year, average achieved room rate was down 13.3 per cent at £59.10 and room yield was down 21 per cent at £37.82.

For the year to date, occupancy was down 9.6 per cent on the same period last year at 64.1 per cent, AARR was down 9.4 per cent at £66.73 and rooms yield was down 18.1 per cent at £42.77.

Average achieved room rate is calculated by dividing rooms revenue by the total number of guest rooms occupied in a year. Rooms yield is calculated by multiplying room occupancy by the AARR.

In the Solihull/Birmingham International Airport area, from a total of 1,700 available rooms, occupancy for the month was down 4.8 per cent at 54.8 per cent, AARR was down 4.4 per cent at £67.55 and yield was down 8.9 per cent at £37.02. For the year to date, occupancy was down 9.5 per cent at 56.6 per cent, AARR was down 6.9 per cent at £88.26 and yield was down 15.7 per cent at £49.96.

London hotels did manage to achieve a 1.7 per cent increase in occupancy from 88.1 per cent in July 2008 compared to 89.7 per cent in 2009, but room rate and rooms yield both decreased. Room rate was down 11.1 per cent, from £132.86 to £118.11, and rooms yield was down 9.6 per cent to £117.10.

Across the regions, the beginning of the summer holiday season did not yield an increase in occupancy. The overall figures were down 4.3 per cent, from 77.7 per cent last year to 74.4 per cent. Room rate was also down, by 7.7 per cent, from £68.38 to £63.10 and overall, this meant rooms yield was down by 11.7 per cent on July 2008 to £46.92.

However, Birmingham hoteliers and Marketing Birmingham claimed that contrary PKF’s report, the outlook for the city’s hotel trade was upbeat.

Marketing Birmingham’s commercial director, Ian Taylor, said: “In many ways it is unfair to compare Birmingham’s figures on occupancy, rates and yield with other cities. As a city that regularly attracts major events like the Rotary International Convention and the Conservative Party Conference we need a large number of rooms available.  Any problems that Birmingham hotels face are the same as those shared by the rest of the industry across the UK.

“Indeed our figures would indicate that occupancy in Birmingham city centre has actually risen, year on year, from 66 per cent in July 2008 to 68 per cent last month.”

Mr Taylor’s comments were backed by some of the city’s leading hoteliers.

Kathrine Ohm Thomas, general manager at the Radisson SAS Hotel, said: “Actually our summer has been fantastic, particularly with a lot of individual business people booking rooms, as well as increases in couples and families coming here on leisure breaks. On Saturdays, in general, we’re now full and Fridays are becoming increasingly busy. In fact, rather than seeing a decline, we’re starting to see a late summer rise in the numbers of guests staying here. 

“August has been a pleasant surprise and it all looks good for the future.”

Mark Davies, general manager at the Hotel du Vin, added: “Occupancy rates for us during July were as high as 84 per cent. We’ve had a really good summer and certainly our forward projections indicate that we’re looking good for the next three months at least.”