Aberdeen hotel takings soar 40% after oil event

Hotels in Aberdeen enjoyed a bumper month as an oil industry trade fair attracted more than 60,000 visitors and sent average revenues soaring by 40.8 per cent.

Scotland's hotels had a successful September. Picture: Neil Hanna

The latest figures from accountancy firm BDO show the hotel sector enjoyed a “healthy” September in other Scottish cities. But the granite city stole a lead as rooms yield, the industry measure of revenue, hit £92.65, the highest figure outside of London.

BDO’s hospitality expert Alastair Rae said: “Aberdeen aside, Scotland had a very successful September with healthy, and similar, revenue improvements across the other three cities. Edinburgh and Inverness both managed good revenue increases at the same time as occupancy rose which is indicative of a strengthening market.”

He said Scottish hotels had revenues almost £18 higher per room than the regional UK average, and occupancy almost six per cent higher.

“This year does appear to mark something of a return to form for the sector with continued improvements in performance,” he said. “Of course these revenues are needed, given the continued rise in operating costs experienced by the sector in the form of increased food, staff and energy expenditure.”

The long-running monthly survey of three- and four-star hotels showed rooms yield in Edinburgh climbed 8.2 per cent to £81.55. The figure was 7.5 per cent higher in both Glasgow and Inverness, at £60.54 and £57.07 respectively.

Rae added: “The improvement in revenue figures for Aberdeen was quite remarkable and due to a 25 per cent increase in visitors to the bi-annual Society of Offshore Engineers EU Fair. This highlighted just how significant oil and gas is for the continued prosperity of the hospitality sector in the city.”