China had a total of 7,104 star-rated hotels across the country in the first quarter of this year, and their operating income totaled RMB 27.06 billion (USD 4.25 billion) in the period, compared to 7,101 hotels reporting RMB 17.8 billion (USD 2.79 billion) in the same period last year, according to a review by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism on the country’s star-rated hotels. RevPAR for the period averaged RMB 110.47 (USD 17.34) per room night, compared with RMB 72.58 (USD 11.39) in the same period last year.
There were 446 five-star hotels and 2,130 four-star hotels in Q1, compared to 709 and 2,066 respectively at the same time last year. The hotels in the top categories reported strong revenue growth – five-star hotels posted total operating income of RMB 10.57 billion (USD 1.66 billion), up from RMB 6.78 billion (USD 1.06 billion) at the same time last year. Total operating income of four-star hotels grew to RMB 10.09 billion (USD 1.58 billion) in Q1 this year from RMB 6.77 billion (USD 1.06 billion) in Q1 2020.
While five-star hotels’ average room rate (ARR) fell from RMB 564.77 (USD 88.66) per room night in Q1 last year to RMB 519.34 (USD 81.53) per room night in Q1 this year, average occupancy climbed to 37.6% from 22.09%, and RevPAR increased from RMB 124.75 (USD 19.58) per room night to RMB 195.28 (USD 30.66) per room night in the corresponding periods. Similarly for four-star hotels, ARR declined to RMB 298.16 (USD 46.81) per room night, but RevPAR increased to RMB 102.49 (USD 16.09) per room night and average occupancy rose to 34.37% in Q1 this year.
Star-rated hotels in Shanghai topped the chart in ARR and revenue per room, at RMB 577.99 (USD 90.74) and RMB 51,900 yuan (USD 8,147.57) respectively for the quarter. Hotels in Hainan Province ranked top in average occupancy and RevPAR, at 51.12% and RMB 291.21 (USD 45.72) respectively in the quarter.
Five-star and three-star hotels in Sanya and Haikou, both in Hainan Province, registered stronger performance and higher average occupancy rate than their counterparts in other key tourist cities. Sanya’s five-star segment reported higher ARR than other cities’, at RMB 932.29 yuan (USD 146.36) per room night, surpassing the nationwide average of RMB 564.96 (USD 88.69) per room night.
