Mantra Group has reported increased occupancy and RevPAR across all major tourism regions this summer with a profile of the average Australian traveller emerging from bookings data.
Analysis of bookings has shown that females take charge of the household travel arrangements making 58% of total bookings; 26% of bookings are made by guests aged between 25 and 34 and 32% of them are from NSW, 27% from Queensland and 25% from Victoria; and bookings made via tablet or mobile device increased by 26% (YOY).
Mantra Group Executive Director Sales, Marketing and Distribution, Kent Davidson said the solid results exceeded expectations.
“Cairns, Palm Cove and Port Douglas are really going strong year round as is the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast had one of its best seasons,” he said. “It was great to see such positive results in Tasmania as well, proving that Australians love to get back to nature as well as to the beach.
“The positive results for Melbourne over the cricket and tennis period are expected to continue when sports enthusiasts head down for the Grand Prix in March.”
Queensland remained the traditionally popular holiday hot spot with North Queensland properties recording an increase in occupancy (YOY) at 11% and RevPAR of 14% while the Gold Coast remained near capacity again with an increase in RevPAR of 9%. The Sunshine Coast properties held high occupancies with RevPAR up by 4%.
The successful summer season is encouraging for the North Queensland hotels as they get set to consolidate the positive start to the year with an increase in Chinese New Year bookings. Room nights have almost tripled at the Peppers and Mantra resorts in Palm Cove this year with Cairns near capacity with Chinese New Year revellers.
The Gold Coast’s occupancy levels remained high throughout the period due to fine weather attracting last minute drive market bookings. Peppers Broadbeach again performed well, capping off the season with the award for Best Hotel for Families in Australia in the TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2014. New addition to the Mantra Group network, Soul Surfers Paradise, emerged as a popular choice for drive market and interstate guests looking for an extra level of luxury on the Gold Coast.
Chinese New Year guests are increasing year on year to the Gold Coast and for the first time, guests are exploring further afield with a growing number of room nights at Mantra and Peppers resorts in Kingscliff.
In the southern states Tasmania proved to be a popular choice for travellers this summer with a 7% increase in occupancy and a 15% increase in RevPAR. Peppers properties in Cradle Mountain and Launceston achieved a RevPAR growth of 6% and occupancy growth of around 9% resulting in one of the best summer seasons in the last five years for the region.
Melbourne boomed with cricket and tennis events. A 6% increase in RevPAR throughout the Australian Open Tennis period was achieved across Mantra’s six Melbourne hotels with an overall RevPAR increase of 9% for the month.
Off the back of a final quarter surge in corporate business, Sydney hotels enjoyed a vibrant leisure travel market with an 11% increase in RevPAR throughout the holiday period due to the cricket season and Sydney Festival events.
The love of sport continued in Adelaide with strong numbers for the Tour Down Under and an increased RevPAR of 14%. The city will now experience its key events period with the Fringe Festival and Clipsal 500 events consolidating solid summer results.