Lille: the North has the wind in its sails

With a RevPAR flirting with 6% growth over 2006, the regional capital of the North is doing well. The explanation may be found first with the annual “Grande Braderie” held there on September 2 and 3. And yet the affluence proved to be relatively moderate this year. The result: hotel occupancy is stagnate, while the average daily rate is up but the same amount as the room revenue (+5.8%). Thus, it is this latter factor that explains the good results. On twelve cumulated months, the figures show an even more brilliant renewal for the city, which was carried by its economic dynamism and the undeniable benefits of its candidacy for the 2004 Olympics and its status as European cultural capital that same year. The RevPAR posts an increase by 9.4%. This time the three all three indicators are up, but it is occupancy that brings the trend up with +4.2 points.