Roaring hotel trade from Lions match
Canberra’s accommodation hotels will be at full capacity this week following the “roaring trade” from the British & Irish Lions rugby union match, according to a new Australian Hotels Association (AHA) ACT Branch survey released today (June 18).
Thousands of fans from across the region and interstate have booked almost every hotel room in the Capital for tonight’s international sporting event – translating into a multi-million dollar conversion for the hospitality and tourism sector, the AHA ACT member survey of leading hotels found.
Australian Hotels Association (AHA) ACT General Manager Brad Watts said the high-profile rugby union match between the British & Irish Lions and the Brumbies – to celebrate Canberra’s Centenary – enabled the whole industry to score a major kick.
“While there’s been serious concerns for the winter downturn this year, Canberra’s 5000 hotel rooms are at 100 per cent occupancy for Tuesday and Wednesday nights – with some hotels having extensive waiting lists which is rare for this time of year,” Mr Watts said.
“The rugby match will provide a ‘roaring trade’ for hotels as well as local pubs, restaurants and other licensed venues combined with a local government conference and Federal Parliament sitting in the lead-up to the winter break before the election.”
Mr Watts said the hotel occupancy windfall was a huge boost, especially with more than $6 million expected to be wiped from the sector with Federal Parliament not sitting for a majority of the second half of the year – along with the further flow-on effects across the hospitality sector and local economy.
“The Federal poll will take a heavy toll on the local hotel and hospitality sector – especially when some smaller hotels rely on up to 90 per cent of business during Parliamentary sitting weeks,” Mr Watts said.
AHA ACT members surveyed said having major sporting events in winter was: “Vital at this time of year when hotels and licensed venues can really struggle”.
Other AHA ACT members surveyed called on the ACT Government to create “back to back” weekday events to entice extended stays over weekends.
Industry recently applauded a new $900,000 Australian Capital Tourism campaign involving a partnership with accommodation and flight booking provider Wotif.com to increase awareness and drive visitation to Canberra during winter.
The innovative campaign also supports the National Gallery of Australia’s Turner from the Tate: The Making of a Master exhibition that runs throughout winter – the first time a blockbuster has been held during the winter period.
Source: Australian Hotels Association ACT Branch, 18 June 2013
