Event-Driven Demand Boosts Hotel Profitability in Key U.S. Markets

Hotels in the United States recorded moderate yet meaningful gains across key performance indicators, according to HotStats February data. Total Revenue per Available Room (TRevPAR) rose by 6.1%, while Gross Operating Profit per Available Room (GOPPAR) increased 6.5%. The Gross Operating Profit Margin (GOP%) also saw a slight improvement, up 0.1 percentage points.

While the national figures reflect steady growth, select markets showed more dynamic shifts driven by high-impact events.

^{It's not just room revenue that soared. TRevPAR rose 37% and TRevPOR 41.2% — guests weren’t just booking rooms; they were spending across the board. From F&B to extras, this was a total win.}

In New Orleans, the Super Bowl contributed to significant year-over-year gains, despite a decline in occupancy and rising departmental expenses. Notably, revenue and profit metrics—including ADR, TRevPAR, and GOPPAR—rose sharply during the event window. Guests were fewer in number, but spending levels per room were substantially higher compared to the same period last year​.

^{San Francisco saw the same playbook at work.}

^{NBA All-Star Game + Lunar New Year on the same weekend = +91.6% GOPPAR YoY in February. But timing matters just as much as the event itself.}

^{The May 2024 upswing? That was thanks to the RSA Conference — a major cybersecurity event held at Moscone Center. (In 2023, it happened in April — hence the dip that month in 2024.)}

^{And that massive drop in November and December? A tough comp against APEC 2023, which boosted those months the year prior. Events drive performance, but where they land on the calendar can make or break your year.}

San Francisco also benefited from event-driven demand. The city hosted both the NBA All-Star Game and the Lunar New Year celebrations on the same weekend. While overall market performance remains below pre-pandemic levels, the alignment of two major events offered a temporary lift in revenue and profitability.

The implications are clear: targeted events continue to play a critical role in market performance, particularly in destinations still seeking post-pandemic stabilization.

For hotel operators and asset managers, the key considerations are threefold. First, performance spikes in New Orleans and San Francisco emphasize the impact of major events in driving topline and bottom-line gains. Second, spending per guest is proving more influential than length of stay, emphasizing the importance of upsell strategies and ancillary revenue optimization encompassed in a Total Revenue Management strategy. Finally, cost control remains essential. Rising revenues do not automatically translate into higher profits without close attention to departmental expenses.

HotStats continues to monitor trends across markets and measure the full P&L impact of events on hotel performance.

For a deeper look into market-specific data and forward-looking insights, contact us to learn more at [email protected].

About HotStats

HotStats is a global data benchmarking company offering specialized performance analysis and a benchmarking tool that helps analyze financial and operational data from a diverse range of hotels globally. This provides hotel owners, operators, and investors with valuable insights into the financial performance of their properties against their competition – an invaluable resource for weighing options and evaluating investment opportunities. For a quick demo, email us at [email protected] or visit www.hotstats.com.