Dunwoody hotel industry continues to rebound
Dunwoody hotels are bouncing back from the pandemic with healthy occupancy rates during both the weekday and weekends, according to a report delivered to the Dunwoody City Council.
Ray Ezelle, the Executive Director of Discovery Dunwoody, made a presentation regarding year-to-date numbers for the hotel-motel industry at the council’s Dec. 11 meeting and said that Dunwoody is registering at the top in several state, national and local categories, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers.
In 2019, room revenues for Dunwoody hotels topped $56 million, and during the pandemic year of 2020, dipped to $27 million. The numbers rose in 2021 to $42 million, then escalated to $61 million last year.
Ezelle said hotel revenue was budgeted to be about $68 million but is forecasted to top more than $72 million by year’s end.
“We are coming off two great years in a row,” he said.
In addition, the per-room cost continues to rise. The average daily rate for rooms in 2022 was $136, and rose to $146 in 2023, Ezelle said.
Goals for Discover Dunwoody for 2024 include bringing all social media inhouse, foraging new and continuing partnershjps with other organizations like Create Dunwoody, Leadership Perimeter and the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, he said.
The main focus, however, is continuing to increase business travel in the Perimeter Center, attracting meetings and groups, courting the film and entertainment and community outreach.
The council complimented Ezelle and his team on their work to promote Dunwoody as a business and entertainment destination.
