After years of uncertainty and volatile demand patterns, having something go according to plan is a wonder to behold.
Demand this year for the AC Hotel Miami Aventura and Aloft Miami Aventura has been playing out in line with projections, said Jonathan Wikse, complex general manager for both hotels with Peachtree Group.
“It’s a blessing, especially after recent years,” he said.
The two hotels are in their cooling-off period for the summer after the higher demand period in the winter. The fall is the next busy season for these hotels, Wikse said.
In recent years, new events have popped up, such as the Formula 1 race in Miami, that have favorably shifted the demand cycle to extend that season from late April into early May. That’s a welcome difference from previous years when the post-Easter holiday period often raised a question mark about demand.
As the hotels are currently in the summer offseason, the mix tends to be sustained more by corporate travel, but there is still a share of people looking to explore Miami and enjoy a staycation, he said.
Apart from a few standout events, the warmer weather across the U.S. gives leisure travelers more options for destinations in and outside the U.S., he said. Normally, that gives the hotel teams the chance to retool and refresh ahead of the fall ramp-up period.
While business on the books and overall pace are in line with expectations, the market saw some events shift from the third quarter into the fourth, creating a bit of a gap, he said. The sales and revenue teams, however, were able to prioritize those openings and find different events to book to keep demand in line with earlier projections.
The hotels are starting to see an even mix of new and returning guests, Wikse said. One of the silver linings from the pandemic was the number of clients who hadn’t been to the Aventura area before and found they enjoy the city.
The booking window this time of year is pretty short, but that’s normal compared to previous years, he said. Heading into the Fourth of July holiday week, there has been a significant amount of pickup in the past seven days.
“Some of that is locals that are just now making their plans for what they're going to be doing for the weekend, but we're actually seeing a surprising amount of people coming from out of state, too," he said. "That’s something that we’re definitely seeing as well as a trend,” he said.
For more from Wikse, listen to the podcast linked above.