UK hotels are underperforming compared to the EU average on every key metric, new figures reveal.
The data from UKHospitality came with a demand on government to “foster an operating environment that enables the hotel market to thrive and remain competitive” against European counterparts.
UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Whilst we wait to review the full year figures for 2018, data showing the UK’s latest performance is a concern – particularly during a time of such great political and economic uncertainty.
“These figures arrive at a time when an ill-advised proposition of a tourist tax remains a possibility, business rates continue to damage the growth of the hospitality sector as a whole and more clarity is desperately needed on the Brexit deal and future immigration system.
“The decisions made in Westminster in 2019 will have a significant impact on our sector and we are making every effort to ensure that the government fully understands what the sector needs to fulfil its growth potential and continue its significant contribution to the UK’s economic and social wellbeing.”
Hotel occupancy rates in the UK in November rose by just 0.6% while the European average was up by 1.2% while revenue per room was up 1.7% in the UK against 4.5% in Europe.