New hotel occupancy data – supplied by STR Global Ltd and released by Visit Manchester – shows that Manchester city centre achieved its strongest March on record with the average reaching 81%.
This represents a 4% rise on March 2013 figures (77%) and a 7% rise on the March average from the years 2000-2013 (74%).
Impact of Event + Conference activity
A 98% occupancy rate was reached Saturday 15 March which was a day that saw Miranda Hart perform at the Phones 4u Arena; National Cycling Centre hosting the BMX National Series; and Manchester Central hosting the National Wedding Show.
The 98% rate was also achieved on two weekday nights – Wednesday 19 March and Tuesday 25 March – and overall weekday nights jumped from 73% last year to 78%.
Business tourism played an important part in boosting the overall March occupancy figure – particularly for midweek nights. Conferences which drew overnight visitors to the city included: the International Conference on Urban Health 2014 (4-7 March, 1,000 delegates); International Bioenergy Conference 2014 (11-13 March, 300 delegates); Northern Restaurant and Bar (17-18 March, 3,000 delegates); and HC2014 National Health IT Conference (19-20 March, 700 delegates); the Federation of Small Business 2014 (27-29 March, 800 delegates).
Business tourism
Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, said:
“We are particularly pleased with the increase in weekday occupancy rates as this highlights the importance of business tourism, where conferences and meetings with large numbers of delegates help to provide a higher baseline on nights that would ordinarily be much quieter.”