Utah's hotel occupancy rate rose to 68.3 percent in 2006 from 65 percent in 2005, according to the latest Rocky Mountain Lodging Report.
The report, which is compiled in cooperation with the Utah Hotel & Lodging Association, showed the average room rate statewide also increased to $86.27 last year from $75.90 in 2005, although some of that jump was due to the addition of several new resorts to the survey in 2006.
Occupancy for Salt Lake hotels increased to 72.4 percent in 2006 from 69.1 percent in 2005, while the average daily room rate rose to $84.17 from $76.86 year-over-year. Revenue per available room also increased to $60.92 from $53.12 for Salt Lake properties.
The highest average room rate tracked by the report last year was $164.35 at Utah mountain resorts. In Salt Lake City, the highest average rate was $92.02 for downtown and east properties.