HOTELS in Aberdeen achieved a year-on-year rise in occupancy and revenues at the start of this year in spite of tougher times for the North Sea caused by lower crude prices, a survey has shown.

The latest monthly survey of three and four-star properties, published by accountancy firm BDO, shows occupancy in Aberdeen hotels in January was 65.3 per cent. This was up from 64.5 per cent in the same month of 2014.

And revenue per available room for Aberdeen hotels, at £60.25 in January, was up from £58.51 in the same month of last year.

This key industry revenue measure is calculated by multiplying occupancy by average room rate achieved.

BDO partner Alastair Rae declared that is was "surprising" that the Aberdeen hotel sector had achieved a year-on-year rise in revenues "at a time when the expectation is that the city will start to experience a reduction due to the declining oil price". He noted that revenue for Aberdeen hotels came largely from business, as opposed to leisure, trade.

Mr Rae added: "Any increase in revenue in January is welcome, as it is a difficult month to attract custom."

The survey shows that revenue per available room for the hotel sector in Glasgow in January was up by 8.9 per cent on the same month of 2014, at £34.56, boosted by conferences and events. This rise in revenues was driven by higher room rates.

Occupancy rates for the hotel sectors in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness in January were down on the same month of last year. In Glasgow and Inverness, which had respective occupancy rates of 64.2 per cent and 51.8 per cent, the falls were marginal.

However, occupancy for the hotel sector in Edinburgh in January, at 55.5 per cent, was down significantly from 58.4 per cent in the same month of last year.