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April 23-29, 2020
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Record & Observer For hotels, a dark March JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer
“Now there’s no business. There’s no money coming in,” OMNI CLOSED hotel owner says The Omni Jacksonville JACKSONVILLE Hotel at 245 Water St. as the COVID-19 Downtown and the Omni Amelia Island Resort pandemic shuts are two of more than down tourism. 40 Omni properties
Record & Observer closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
BY MAX MARBUT
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
TRecord & Observer
he business shutdown caused by COVID-19 could lead to a long period of the lowest levels of local hotel occupancy on record. According to Visit Jacksonville’s March hotel report, the month began with some “small concerns” about COVID-19’s potential impact on business and leisure tourism. In the first 12 days of March, there was a “slight dip” in occupancy, but when social-distancing mandates were enacted and events started canceling, occupancy began to decline. Occupancy ended in March at 55.5%, more than 35% lower than in March 2019. With less demand for hotel rooms, the average room rate paid by guests declined $15 to $95.82. Revenue per available room dropped nearly $42 to $53.17. The percentage losses appear even greater because March 2019 was the best month in Duval
JACKSONVILLE
SEE HOTELS, PAGE 4
INSIDE Visit Jacksonville works to reschedule canceled conventions, looks to 2022 amid uncertainty. Page 4.
Jacksonville March hotel occupancy, revenue March hotel occupancy was down slightly for the first 12 days in March, averaging 80% or higher during that period, according to Visit Jacksonville. As the COVID-19 pandemic escalated, The Players Championship was canceled March 12 and occupancy began to decline. By March 31, Mayor Lenny Curry limited hotels to accepting reservations only from “essential lodgers.” Total March room revenue was $29.5 million, $22.4 million less than 2019, a decline of 43.2%, Percent Average daily Percent Revenue per Percent Area Occupancy change room rate change available room change Arlington
57.6% -37.6% $89.45 -10.6% $51.53 -44.2%
Beaches
52.1% -42.0% $163.69 -11.6% $85.25 -48.8%
Downtown
44.3% -48.8% $124.05 -11.2% $54.98 -54.5%
Northside/Airport 55.4% -35.9% $89.98 -8.5%
$49.84 -41.4%
Southside/Mandarin 58.1% -31.1%
$49.52
$85.22
-15.1%
Photo by Scott Sailer
-41.5%
Westside
64.4% -24.9% $79.68 -8.2%
$51.30 -31.1%
Overall
55.5% -35.3% $95.82 -13.3% $53.17 -44.0%
Take our COVID-19 shutdown survey To help us understand the condition of the region’s businesses and economy as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis and economic shutdown, the Jacksonville Daily Record and Record & Observer are requesting readers complete an anonymous survey. The survey should take about five minutes. The results will be published in an upcoming edition of the Jacksonville Daily Record, Record & Observer and JaxDailyRecord.com and shared with the region’s national, state and local policymakers. The survey can be found at surveymonkey.com/r/covid19nfl or by visiting the JaxDailyRecord.com homepage and looking for the “How has COVID-19 affected your business” ad. Thank you for participating.
VOLUME 2, NO. 47 • ONE SECTION