L.A., Anaheim and San Francisco hotels see slight improvement in bookings

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The slump in the U.S. hotel industry has yet to end, but industry data released today show some improvement in several regions, including Southern California.

Overall, the news continues to be bad: The hotel occupancy rate nationwide dropped 5.4% to 59.8% in the first week of October compared with the same period last year, while revenue generated by available rooms fell 12% to an average $59.28, according to Smith Travel Research Global, an industry research firm. But the data signal some improvements, however slight, in a handful of cities, including Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, New Orleans and Boston.

For example, the overall occupancy rate in Anaheim — home of Disneyland and California Adventure — jumped 2.3% to 63.4%, and the rate for group bookings, such as conventions and trade shows, jumped 27.5% for the first two weeks of October, the traditional start of convention season.

Los Angeles — home of the newly improved L.A. Live entertainment complex next to the Los Angeles Convention Center — got good news in the form of an 18.1% increase in group bookings for the week ended Oct. 10, according to Smith Travel Research Global.

-- Hugo Martin