The latest issue of the eviivo Accommodation Index reporting on the performance of the independent serviced accommodation sector in the UK with key metrics on a national and regional level for the months of January, February and March 2011 is now out.

Taking the averages of the UK as a whole, it was a positive result in terms of both average room rates and occupancy, but especially the latter, which resulted in significantly improved RevPar (revenue per available room) at +13% year-on-year.

This quarter habitually suffers the lowest occupancies of the year, not benefitting from any peak demand periods such as Christmas, Easter or main school holidays. However, the country showed a healthy 12% occupancy growth year-on-year, with London and the South East enjoying the highest occupancies at 48% and 42% respectively, followed by the East of England, East Midlands and North East, all around the 40% mark.

Looking at the regional highlights, the South West was one of the few regions that enjoyed an increase in all of the key areas  – average room rate +5%, occupancy rate +12%, resulting in  a double-digit increase in RevPar +17%.

Nigel David, CEO of eviivo which compiles the eviivo Accommodation Index, expresses some reserve at the results: “Whilst 2011 has started quite well and the independent accommodation sector was in a much stronger position in this first quarter than in 2010, consumer confidence continues to be very fragile on the back of slow economic growth, the impact of public sector spending cuts that kicked in from the beginning of April and inflationary cost pressures.”

“In this report, we can see a significant number of bookings made more than three or four months in advance so it is important that independent accommodation businesses continue to keep their advance prices updated and rooms available online to take advantage of this key booking pattern and secure as many early bookings as possible.”