By the Numbers

Lodging Data U.S. and Massachusetts,
October 2018 vs. October 2017

• In October 2018, the Occupancy Rate in Mass (81.5%) grew by 3.2% compared to October 2017. However, in the U.S., Occupancy only grew by 0.8% to 69.9% for the same periods.

• Rooms Sold in MA totaled 2.2 million, a 7% increase, but the U.S. growth of Rooms Sold was only 2.8% to 114 million.

• The Average Daily Rate in mass of $214.46 was a 4.9% increase which was nearly double the U.S. ADR growth of 2.7% to $133.81.

• Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar) grew by 8.3% in MA reaching $174.74, and significantly outperforming the 3.5% growth to $93.55 in the U.S.

• Room Revenue in MA was $473.2 million, up 12.2%, far outperforming the U.S. which was up 5.6% to 15.3 billion.

Lodging data in U.S. and Massachusetts,
CYTD through October 2018

• Occupancy rate for the first 10 months of 2018 in Massachusetts was 72.6%, which outpaced the U.S. average of 67.9%. Occupancy grew by 1.9% in MA vs. 0.5% in the U.S.

• Average Daily Rate (ADR) in MA of $189.97 was a substantial 45% higher than the U.S. average of $130.75. The MA rate grew by 0.7% vs. 2.6 in U.S.

• Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar) was $137.93 in Massachusetts which was 55% higher than the $88.78 RevPar for the U.S. RevPar was up 2.6% in MA and 3.1% in U.S.

Industry News

Boston Globe Travel Show: January 2019

MOTT will be exhibiting at the 2019 Boston Globe Travel Show at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston from January 18-20, 2019. Thanks to so many of you for volunteering your time, as well as your costumed characters/mascots, to help with the show. We still have a few time slots available for volunteers and costumed characters. If interested, please contact Phyllis M. Cahaly.

2019 ABA Marketplace: January 2019

The 2019 American Bus Association Marketplace (ABA) will take place in Louisville, Kentucky, from January 25-29, 2019. If you plan to be at ABA and would like to volunteer at the MOTT booth, please contact Ricky Guillaume.

Tokyo & Seoul Sales Mission: March 2019

Space is still available for a sales mission to Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea this March 23-29, 2019. The sales mission will consist of 2 days in Tokyo, and 1.5 days in Seoul. Tokyo will be a mix of sales calls and presentations to key decision makers in Japan. Seoul will include a market briefing, seminar, individual presentations, and networking event with South Korean tour operators.

The South Korea component is included this year because of the launch of the Korean Air non-stop service between Seoul and Boston this April 12, 2019. South Korea is currently one of the fastest growing markets to the US and had the highest growth rate of all top 20 countries in 2016.

Registration cost is $2,800 per person. Contact Shoko Hirao for more details.

For more international sales opportunities, please visit the Discover New England website.

New International Flights

Norwegian Air announced two new nonstop routes into Boston, from Madrid and Rome. The Rome to Boston flight commences on March 31, 2019, operating four times per week. The Madrid to Boston flight commences on May 2, 2019, operating three times per week. Both flights will be summer/seasonal only.

MA Sports Marketing Office

Top Sporting Events for 2019

The Massachusetts Sports Marketing Office will soon be issuing its 2019 compilation of top sporting events throughout the Commonwealth for the New Year. Please submit annual and new sporting events taking place in 2019 for consideration to Ricky Guillaume by Monday, December 17.

Tis’ the Season to Watch a Game

While festive decorations light up our streets, #MAsports are lighting up our arenas. The New England Patriots, Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Worcester 78’s, Worcester Railers, and Springfield Thunderbirds all have home games this month.

For a full schedule of major sporting events across Massachusetts, visit MAsportsoffice.com.

MA Film Office

2018 was a busy year for film and, particularly, for television in Massachusetts. With four new episodic TV series, plus feature films such as Little Women, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Meryl Streep, Emma Watson and Timothee Chalamet; and Jungleland a Scott Free production filmed in Fall River and New Bedford last summer, more local crew, actors and vendors, as well as cities and towns, are engaged in film activity than ever before.