2021 Hotel Trends: Foot Traffic Analysis

June 27 2021

For many of us, 2020 was the year of canceled vacations and travel plans. Coronavirus lockdowns forced us all to put travel on pause for an uncertain amount of time. 2021, however, brought us vaccines, meaning that the vacations we’ve all been dreaming of can finally come to fruition.

As many of us start to rebook plane tickets and jet-set off to vacation destinations, we wondered: how are hotels recovering from the pandemic? Let’s take a look at foot traffic data to find out.

2021 Hotel Trends: Foot Traffic Analysis

Hotel Foot Traffic by City

With strict coronavirus restrictions still in place, Los Angeles hotels have been the slowest to recover compared to Miami, Chicago, Boston, and NYC. Although New York hotels showed a steady recovery until March, visits dropped again in April 2021.

Although foot traffic still isn’t close to what it was pre-pandemic, Miami and Boston hotels have had the fastest recovery. Interestingly, Boston and Miami couldn’t be more different: one is warm and sunny…and the other is very, very cold. Why did people choose to visit Boston over Los Angeles when L.A. had the sunshine everyone craved?

Under California’s guidelines for public health, California spas and fitness centers only just opened in May of this year at 50% capacity. Many tourist attractions in California remain at limited capacity, as well. Area attractions (and hotel amenities) are a big part of what any city has to offer, so it isn’t surprising that travelers would forgo L.A. in favor of other cities where they could enjoy more of the local experience.

Los Angeles and New York City may very well see a boom in travelers and staycationers in the next few months. With Broadway reopening and California easing restrictions, travelers will start to come back and hotels will start seeing more foot traffic.

Non-Chain Hotels

As with coffee shops and clothing stores, some people prefer boutique hotels that are not affiliated with a large brand. The chart above, which isolates non-chain hotel foot traffic, shows a similar pattern: non-chain hotels in Miami and Boston have experienced the fastest recovery, and have regained a bit more of their foot traffic, on average, than their larger counterparts. This might be because boutique hotels are typically smaller, serve fewer guests, and are more conducive to social distancing. Non-chain hotels in Chicago also slightly outperformed their chain counterparts. In contrast, non-chain hotels in New York and Los Angeles slightly underperformed chain hotels, and their foot traffic has recovered the least among the cities on this list.

Hotel Visits by Brand

Now that we’ve covered the overall trends, let’s take a closer look at foot traffic for several popular hotel brands. Whether it’s because of exceptional service or a generous loyalty rewards program, many travelers have a favorite hotel brand to call home while away from home. How have some of the country’s most recognized hotel brands fared in these cities?

By using quality data, brands can determine how to improve their customer experience. Location intelligence is the key to successfully mapping out and accomplishing every step in the customer lifecycle in 2021. For more information on how location intelligence can help your company create an effective customer lifecycle marketing strategy, contact us to speak with an expert today.

Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn has recovered more foot traffic in cities like Boston and Miami, but far less in Chicago and Los Angeles. Holiday Inns in New York were showing steady recovery until April 2021, when average daily visits dropped again.

2021 Hotel Trends: Holiday Inn Hotel Foot Traffic
Sheraton

Sheratons in both Boston and Miami have recovered a great deal of their foot traffic in recent months; in fact, foot traffic to Sheratons in both cities has already topped pre-COVID foot traffic—at least temporarily. For Sheraton hotels in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami, it is a very different story. This may be due to local coronavirus restrictions, or to hotel locations that currently aren’t in demand, like those near an airport.

Sheraton Trends
Best Western

One of the biggest budget hotel chains in the world, Best Western has recovered most significantly in the city of Chicago. More recently, Best Western hotels in Miami have also performed well. In New York, post-COVID foot traffic peaked back in July 2020 but has been on the decline ever since. As with the other brands examined, foot traffic at Best Western hotels in Los Angeles remains far below pre-COVID levels.

Best Western Trends
Marriott Hotels

Marriott locations are often in popular tourist areas, like the one in Miami’s South Beach, or New York’s Times Square. Except for Los Angeles locations, Marriotts have experienced a steady recovery in foot traffic across cities since mid-2020. Boston Marriotts (-40%) have seen the most recovery, while those in New York performed well until April 2021, when foot traffic dropped once more.

Marriott Trends

The Return of Hotel Guests

As more people get vaccinated and the spread of COVID-19 slows, more travelers will pack their bags to take a much-anticipated vacation (or a simple staycation) at a favorite hotel. Although Los Angeles hotels are still struggling, we expect an increase in foot traffic now that local regulations are less stringent. As we move into the summer months, hotel foot traffic in Miami will most likely plateau, while foot traffic in Boston and New York may increase as each city reopens for concerts and shows. If there’s anything that can be said about the path forward, it’s that 2021 promises to be better for the hospitality industry.

For more information on location intelligence and your business trends, contact us to speak with an expert.

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