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‘Happy Happens,’ But Not for Innkeepers in May, June

Though hotels enjoyed high occupancy rates Memorial Day weekend , 97 percent, for example, on May 23 , margins were down because rates were down, said Namara Mercer, director of the San Diego County Hotel-Motel Association.

So, while the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau says “Happy Happens” in its $8.7 million summer marketing campaign, happy didn’t happen for innkeepers during the 28 days that ended June 13, according to a preliminary report from Smith Travel Research.

Occupancy declined 16 percent to 63.8 percent. Room rates were down 19 percent to $121.85 on average and RevPAR , the acronym that means revenue per available rooms , was off 32 percent to $77.78. That’s as gloomy as, well, June gloom.

In the RevPAR category, only New York City fared worse among the top 25 destinations Smith Travel tracks, with a 34.8 percent decline.

Nonetheless, tourism officials say they’re optimistic that July’s numbers will be brighter because hotel operators report that advanced bookings have surpassed their expectations, Mercer said.

They’re not outpacing the same month in 2008, but look better than the first half of the year, she added.

Meanwhile, the deals on airfares that were available earlier this year have taken off. Reports show that major carriers, including Delta Air Lines and low-fare Southwest Airlines, increased fares $10 to $20 per ticket recently. However, Mercer doesn’t think that will be as big a problem for San Diego, considered primarily a drive-to destination, as it would for cities such as San Francisco that depend on air travel to boost visitor counts.


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Corvette Heads West:
Cohn Restaurant Group opened Corvette Diner & Gamers Garage at Liberty Station in Point Loma on June 22. The restaurant formerly operated in Hillcrest. A grand opening planned for July 11-12 will feature more than 100 Corvettes, courtesy of two local car clubs. There will also be live musical performances and giveaways.

Owned by David and Lesley Cohn, the restaurant group features The Prado, Kemo Sabe, Dakota Grill, Blue Point, Mister Tiki, Indigo Grill, Thee Bungalow, 333 Pacific, Gaslamp Strip Club, Island Prime & C Level restaurants locally, and Pineapple Grill in Maui.


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Science Museum Theatre Renamed:
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center has launched the second phase of a $20 million capital campaign to further the nonprofit organization’s mission of inspiring lifelong learning, understanding and enjoyment of science and technology.

During a private reception June 22, it announced that the Imax Dome Theater would now be known as the Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Dome Theatre. The theatre was renamed in memory of the couple by Mrs. Heikoff’s brother and sister-in-law, Irwin and Joan Jacobs, major donors for the project, and the Heikoffs’ children.


Send tourism and hospitality industry news to Connie Lewis: clewis@sdbj.com.

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