What are lodging and visitor forecasts, and who are they for?
Lodging and visitor forecasts are forward-looking projections of how hotel performance, lodging demand, and visitation are likely to evolve. They are used by destinations, tourism offices, hotels and ownership groups, convention centers, investors, associations, real estate owners, retailers, and other organizations that plan around travel demand.
What measures does the forecast include, and how far ahead does it look?
Each forecast can project hotel supply, demand, room revenue, occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR, with lodging tax revenue, visitor volume, visitor spending, short-term rental inventory, added geographies, and custom scenarios available depending on the engagement. Figures are typically estimated monthly, quarterly, and annually for the remainder of the current year and the next two years, with options to extend the horizon to five or ten years.
What data and methodology power the forecast?
Forecasts combine industry-standard hotel performance data, supply and pipeline research, event research, convention pace, local market intelligence, Oxford Economics’ macroeconomic outlook, and Tourism Economics’ travel demand forecasts. The result is a forecast calibrated to the structure of your market rather than a national average applied across the board.
Can the forecast model scenarios or what-if questions?
Yes. Forecasts can include scenarios that reflect the decisions and risks your market is weighing, such as changes in tax policy, new supply, event calendars, marketing investment, short-term rental regulation, air service, economic conditions, or shifts in domestic and international demand. Scenarios help show the likely effect on demand, revenue, performance, and funding before decisions are made.
How often are forecasts delivered and updated?
Many clients receive either quarterly or semiannual updates under a one-year agreement. Each update is delivered as a concise report, and for Symphony clients, it can be loaded directly into the dashboard so the forward-looking outlook sits alongside live market data.
Can the forecast be customized to our market?
Yes. Every forecast is calibrated to the geography, market definition, and business question at hand. Forecasts can be built for cities, districts, resort areas, regions, states, provinces, countries, portfolios, or custom market areas, with options to add geographies, short-term rental inventory, lodging tax forecasts, extended horizons, visitor volume and spending, scenarios, and stakeholder presentations.
How is this different from the hotel data we already receive?
Standard hotel data tells you what has already happened. Tourism Economics forecasts show what is likely to happen next, and why. We combine historical data with economic modeling, supply and event research, travel demand forecasts, and expert interpretation to produce a forward view your team and stakeholders can plan against.