Lollapalooza is back, and for downtown Chicago hotels it’s one of the best weekends of the year.
Shakeya Norman checks in guests at Le Meridien Essex Chicago on July 27, 2022.
Chicago officials said they expect around 100,000 people will descend daily on Grant Park for the four-day festival starting Thursday to hear headlining acts such as Green Day, J. Cole, Dua Lipa and Metallica.But the thousands of out-of-town visitors won’t help downtown hotels heal all the damage inflicted by the pandemic.
“Some hotels are doing well, and some are still struggling, partly due to debt structures put in place prior to COVID-19,” she said. Downtown hotels got off to a great start this summer, she added. Occupancy surpassed 78% in June, a big jump over last June, when lingering COVID-19 worries kept most rooms empty, but below the 88% recorded in June 2019. And for the week ending July 16, occupancy hit 83.3%, the highest number in three years.Perhaps even better news for downtown Chicago hotels is that guests are willing to pay more.
He estimates business travelers are about 60% back this year, and many increasingly combine work and leisure, extending their stays to visit family, see the sights or just take it easy. It’s a new form of travel called “bleisure,” and could provide hotels with a further boost.“Overall, urban hotels should be able to reach 2019 levels by 2024,” he said.“Our booking trends is looking very comparable with 2019, maybe a little bit softer,” he said.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Downtown's NoMad Hotel reopens as Hotel Per La with a new rooftop bar and restaurantPlus, an anticipated new bakery, a citywide scavenger hunt to support Black-owned business and more.
Read more »
Increase in downtown office workers signals potential boost in local economyDowntown Cleveland Alliance is seeing positive trends for the city as many office workers return downtown and new businesses continue to open in the vacant offices.
Read more »
How to stream Lollapalooza on Hulu this weekend | EngadgetWith Lollapalooza returning to Chicago’s Grant Park this weekend, Hulu subscribers can watch the festival from the comfort of their homes..
Read more »
Chicago leaders confident of Lollapalooza security plans in wake of Highland Park mass shootingLess than a month after a gunman fired on an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Chicago officials said they are confident they can keep Lollapalooza safe this weekend.
Read more »