Fewer Hotel Guests, but More Spending

Slightly fewer people have been staying in Orange County hotels, but they’ve been spending more, a pair of tourism reports shows.

A survey by PKF Consulting showed October’s average occupancy rate was 72%, off from last year’s extraordinary mark of 77%, but close to 75%, an industry gauge indicating full occupancy.

“The market is coming off a peak year and stabilizing a little bit,” said Bruce Baltin of the Los Angeles-based consulting firm, who expects stronger figures for November and December.

Moreover, the average room rate jumped 11% to $95 from $86. Newport Beach hotels led the way, as room rates jumped to an average of $128 this year from $109 last year. In the John Wayne Airport area, rooms rose to $86 from $76 a year ago.

The Anaheim-Orange County Visitors & Convention Bureau said its preliminary figures for the year show a similar pattern. The organization reports that 38 million people were expected to visit Orange County this year, down slightly from the previous year, when 38.3 million visitors came here. But they’re expected to spend $56 billion this year, up $1 billion from last year.

“A healthy year,” said Elaine Cali, the bureau’s spokeswoman. “People are shopping, and we’re seeing more entertainment revenue.”