Frankfurt Book Fair: though not a best-seller, hoteliers remain firm

While the 2013 edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair was nothing for the history books in terms of attendance, the city’s hoteliers were able to maintain their performance during the period of the event, from the 9th to the 13th of October. This is a new chapter that confirms the good health of the Frankfurt hotel market in 2013.

According to event organizers, the 65th Frankfurt Book Fair was less active than the previous one in terms of the visitor influx. While the exhibitors were at the meeting, 7,300 from 100 different countries, the attendance of the event posted a drop of 2.2% this year. In total, 275,342 visitors wandered through the aisles of the Frankfurt Convention Center, including 142,921 professionals, 3.8% less than last year.

The good activity of foreign attendance, including 17% additional international journalists this year, nevertheless played in favor of hoteliers during the first two days of the event, traditionally more aimed towards professionals. Hotel occupancy rates neared 100% during the 9th and 10th of October, at 99.3% and 93.7%, improving 2.1 and 1.5 points respectively. They thus allowed for an improvement in lodging turnover of 3.8% during the first day and 1.2% on the second.

Due to the slight decline in general attendance, turnover during the weekend dropped in comparison to last year, but the global account of the 2013 edition remains positive. During the five days of the event, the improvement in occupancy by 1.4 point in Frankfurt hotels compensated for a 1% decline in average daily rates, for a Revenue per available room of 121.3 euro.

Despite mixed performance registered during this edition of the Book Fair, year-to-date performance records remain positive in Frankfurt. This highlights the ongoing positive dynamics of the Frankfurt market, as observed by MKG Hospitality's barometer tools. During the first eight months of the year, sector indicators progressed, with Revenue per available room rising by 1.4%, thanks to a 1.3 point improvement in hotel occupancy rates. The rise of performances in hotels is even more representative of the good health of hotel activity in Frankfurt that supply significantly expanded in 2011 and 2012 and will continue growing through a strong upcoming pipeline, with opening announcements such as Motel One Frankfurt Messe, Citadines City Center, Element Hotel Frankfurt...