Like much of the economy, Utah’s lodging industry had an up-and-down month in July. Nightly occupancy levels statewide were up from the tough month of July 2009, but only by 1.5 percent. Most of that slight increase was offset by lower prices, however, with Utah hoteliers reducing their average nightly rates last month to $87.68, down more than $3 from a year earlier.
Hotels around Cedar City posted the month’s best results, filling 80 percent of their rooms nightly — for the same money as a year earlier. “We’re having a good season,” said Maria Twitchell, director of the Cedar City/Brian Head Travel Council. “It doesn’t match the numbers we had in 2007, but we’re happy to see it going up again.” Twitchell attributed much of the rise to a popular lineup of Utah Shakespearean Festival shows — “they put together a season that’s very good, with classics that people like.” The Salt Lake Tribune
