[Fungi]

The broader economic takeaway is simple: If people are moving around the country, be it for leisure or business, the economic engine is still humming along.

Is it really that simple?

[A Navy Vet]

Okay. Did they mention what which hotels are experiencing this? Were they top line or lower-cost hotels? Did they include motels? In which cities is this occurring according to cost of living? Did they mention that lower gas prices may be a factor?

I'm not buying it. I live in a middle-class neighborhood and rarely hear of folks going to upper-scale hotels. In fact, one of our 4 star hotels is struggling to keep out of bankruptcy.

[festusbanjo]

The dirty little secret in the hotel business is that virtually nobody actually pays full “rack” rate. The industry followed the airline model and stopped expanding so that they could yield rate more efficiently. While there are “evergreen” markets like Manhattan and some of the resort areas during busy seasons (winter in Florida, summer in the coastal areas along the east coast), if you set those aside, 68% occupancy is nothing to brag about. Hotels are discounting and using the online travel agencies (OTAs) like never before to put heads in beds every night. The difference between what a hotel asks for on their own website and what they’ll accept through Priceline is stunning and shows the fine line between “robust” and marginal. The “expanding economy” is bogus and on the brink of collapse.

[Kickass Conservative]

Does this include People who LIVE in seedy Motels because they can’t afford to Rent an Apartment?

[dragnet2]

Hotels are giant Petri dishes where cooties cultures flourish...

And the greedy hotel industry hires millions of illegals.

I really dislike hotels and refuse to stay in one.

[M Kehoe]

rooms available

Dear Myles: if the number of rooms continue to decrease, the average occupancy rate per hotel will increase. Oh, btw, what was the industry's net profit after takes over the same period?

Never mind.

5.56mm

[M Kehoe]

I have one more observation regarding the article and source. Does it seem to anyone else, that BI is always trying to put a positive spin on the economy? Macro or micro data, although they seem to get confused sometimes?

5.56mm

[VTenigma]

Article is full of it. There’s a Days Inn near me that’s full, full of section 8 welfare mommies.

[DH]

I think this report is simply “bullshit.”

Where is the breakdown of the types of guests? How many work directly for the government? What % are there conducting some type of work caused by government regulations? What % of guests are paying for meals, lodging and entertainment with money that came from the hands of taxpayers.

And...last, but not least, what % of guests were ordinary citizens on private trips, paid for by private money and for vacations or business that was not related to government (or caused by government regulations) in any manner.

I think the number will be very low.

[Cementjungle]

How many people are now living in cheap motels because they've lost their homes? Do those folks count?

How about the huge blocks of hotel rooms being rented by the Feds to house "undocumented immigrant children" and their extended families?

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2013/08/12/american-taxpayers-paying-for-illegal-immigrant-hotel-rooms-n1662329

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/07/feds-to-open-50-million-resort-hotel-for-illegal-children-complete-with-tennis-courts-sauna-pools/

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/grand-island/officials-seeking-shelter-for-young-illegal-immigrants-thought-island-hotel-was-vacant-20140620

[teeman8r]

More like, “you’re evicted. Move out.”