Statistics from the Khanh Hoa Department of Tourism indicate that in September, the room occupancy rates at three- to five-star hotels averaged 65.3%, while the average rate at one- to two-star hotels was recorded at a mere 36.15%.
Between January and September, the rate of the segment was lower than not only the rates at three- to five-star hotels but also that seen in the year-ago period.
In the first quarter of 2019, the average room occupancy rate at one- to two-star hotels reached a mere 30.9%, much lower than that seen in the same period last year, at 54.9%.
The rate rose to 38.2% in the second quarter of this year, while the year-on-year rate was reportedly 55.1%. The average occupancy rate at 40.8% in the third quarter remained much lower than the 51.5% from the year-ago period.
The statistics also show that as of June, the province had some 49,190 hotel rooms, with 32,860 rooms at four- to five-star hotels and the remainder at one- to two-star hotels and other lodging facilities.
Some firms active in the hotel sector noted that the number of one- to two-star hotels in Khanh Hoa Province might be higher as many hotels have failed to register for appraisal to determine their hotel type. As such, many have yet to appear on the list kept by management agencies.
Low occupancy rates at one- to two-star hotels were attributable to the oversupply of rooms. Many hoteliers have rushed to build more hotels, while the number of local tourists to the province has only inched up slightly. Besides this, many local travelers prefer three- to five-star hotels, reducing occupancy rates at one- to two-star hotels.
Over the past nine months, the province welcomed over 5.6 million tourists, up 16.4% year-on-year, according to statistics. Over 2.79 million international holidaymakers visited the province during the time, soaring 42.2% from the year-ago period, whereas the number of domestic tourist arrivals edged up by a mere 2.5% year-on-year.
