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Courtyard takes midprice with F&B; country inns without.

Article Excerpt
Working more closely with corporate travel buyers to improve continuity in the room procurement process and upgrades in both rooms and public spaces highlighted a robust year for the midprice with and without food and beverage categories, especially in the latter tier where double-digit percentage growth in revenue per available room was reached. Industry analysts are predicting the tier will outpace most others in 2006.

Courtyard by Marriott retained its hold atop the midprice with food and beverage group, edging its main competition in the class, Hilton Garden Inn, by scoring high in its ability to arrange travel and a commission payment system that travel buyers contended was the best in the class.

Hilton Garden Inn received high marks for the physical appearance of its properties, its in-room business amenities and overall price-value relationship.

Best Western International made the most dramatic move in the category, moving up four slots in the survey from last year to third. Travel buyers noted its corporate rate program as a reason for its strong bump. InterContinental's Holiday Inn and Starwood's Four Points by Sheraton rounded out the top five.

Continued dwindling supply levels within the mid-price with F&B sector--a decrease of 2.8 percent, year over year, according to Smith Travel Research has resulted in an increased occupancy rate over 2004 as well as an 8 percent increase in revenue per available room. This has prompted excitement from analysts who have cited languid growth in the sector over recent years. "Very low supply growth in almost all the sectors and the economy continued to chug along," said...

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