HOTELS in Aberdeen suffered a year-on-year fall in revenues in February, a survey has shown, with the impact of lower crude prices on oil industry spending cited as a reason.

 

Accountancy firm BDO's latest monthly survey of three and four-star properties showed revenue per available room for the Aberdeen hotel sector came in at £64.91 in February, down by 4.1 per cent from £67.68 in the same month of last year. This standard industry measure is calculated by multiplying occupancy by average room rate achieved.

The occupancy rate for the Aberdeen hotel sector in February came in at 72.7 per cent, down from 73.9 per cent in the same month of 2014.

BDO partner Alastair Rae said: "The expected fall in demand and its consequent impact on occupancy and revenue has begun in Aberdeen as the oil and gas sector reviews its spending in the city. There have already been substantial job losses in the sector and a shifting of the workforce to other fields so it is to be expected that the hospitality sector will bear the brunt of some of this downturn."

However, he emphasised revenue per available room in Aberdeen hotels was still the highest in the UK outside London.

Mr Rae said: "There is still some way to go before doom and gloom descends upon the marketplace."

Hotels in Glasgow achieved revenue per available room of £42.84 in February, up by 8.4 per cent on the same month of 2014.

The Scottish hotel sector recorded a six per cent year-on-year rise in revenue per available room to £46.03 in February.