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New research vendor reports June lodging occupancy near 70%; tourism director says firm ramping up
Summary
Manatee County’s new tourism research vendor presented a June dashboard showing combined lodging occupancy of just under 70 percent, ADR of $321.38 and estimated direct visitor spending of about $160.4 million for June; staff said the new contractor has collected 450+ intercept surveys and will deliver a fuller quarterly report later in the year.
Manatee County’s contracted tourism research team reported June 2025 lodging and visitation metrics to the Tourist Development Council on Aug. 18, showing combined occupancy just under 70 percent, an average daily rate (ADR) of $321.38 and estimated direct visitor expenditures for the month of $160,423,700.
Isaiah Lewis of Downs & St. Germain, the research contractor, told the council the vendor has more than 450 on‑the‑ground surveys so far in the quarter and will continue collection through September. Lewis emphasized that a fuller quarterly report (June–September compilation) will include more detailed breakdowns, but presented a month‑level dashboard to illustrate early trends.
Key June 2025 metrics presented for Manatee County: - Combined lodging occupancy: about 69.7 percent - Combined ADR: $321.38 - RevPAR (combined): $224.00 - Vacation rental ADR: approximately $482.00 with occupancy about 67.5 percent (≈5,500 units) - Hotel ADR: lower than vacation rentals but higher occupancy (≈5,500 rooms) - Estimated paid visitors (staying in paid accommodations) in June: 114,500 - Room nights (June): 232,900 (approx.) - Estimated direct expenditures (lodging, entertainment, shopping, groceries, transportation): $160,423,700 - Average travel party size: just under 3 people - Average length of stay: just under 6 nights
Lewis said the vendor’s methodology combines boot‑on‑the‑ground surveys with other industry data sources; Falcone confirmed the county will not present combined Sarasota/Manatee regional metrics at public TDC meetings except twice yearly for airline or regional partners.
Several TDC members asked for more historical comparisons and clarification of sampling. Lewis and Falcone said the new vendor’s methods differ slightly from the previous contractor and that staff will deliver year‑over‑year comparisons once a consistent series is established. Falcone noted that sampling granularity limits month‑by‑month slicing: smaller samples can increase variance when the data are subdivided.
Commissioners and members highlighted resilience following recent hurricanes and COVID-era volatility. Falcone and Mayor Jean Brown characterized the 69 percent occupancy level as strong for June and said continued marketing—especially to drive markets—remains a priority.
— Ending note: staff said a fuller, quarterly report (with historical comparisons and deeper property‑level breakdowns upon request) will be provided later this year.
