How's Business in Kingston and Grande Prairie

Radisson Hotel Kingston Harbourfront
Kingston, ON

General Manager Brian Kish
Number of Rooms 126
Meeting Space: 6,000 sq. ft.

The hotel market in Kingston and at the Radisson Hotel on the city’s waterfront has managed to hold its own even with the recent economic slump affecting Ontario.

“The market as a whole has not grown significantly but downtown properties continue to outperform all other properties in the Kingston area,” said hotel general manager Brian Kish.

In 2008, the hotel and its restaurant, AquaTerra, are still managing to attract a mix of business and leisure travellers, both domestic and overseas, as well as bookings for special events.

“The Radisson Hotel Kingston Harbourfront has witnessed moderate growth this year in RevPAR which has come mainly from increased rates,” Kish said. In 2009, staff predicts increased competition as more hotel properties are in the works for the city.

“As a whole, the hotel market in Kingston has seen marginal growth but the market is facing significant challenges next year with the introduction of over 300 guest rooms including a Marriott Residence Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Suites and Motel 6.  An additional high end downtown hotel appears slated for 2010,” Kish said.

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites
Grande Prairie, AB

General Manager: Christy Doucette
No. Rooms: 154
Meeting Space: 18,000 sq. ft.

Compared to other regions in Canada, hotels in the Grande Prairie, Alberta region are generally performing well, but gas prices and the economy are affecting the boom.

Pacrim Hotel’s regional vice-president Steven James said 30 per cent of the hotel’s guests are tied to the oil and gas trade in the area. A further 40 per cent of the business comes from corporate business travellers.

“Overall for the market, it was down this year because of the cost of gas and not as many leisure travellers going to Alaska,” James said.

New hotels in Grande Prairie have increased competition with 300 new rooms built this year and a further 350 opening in 2009.

James said RevPAR at hotels in northern Alberta “leads the country in many respects.”
 He predicts that the winter of 2008-2009 will be similar to last year in terms of total room nights.

However, he cautioned that there are questions about how the credit crunch in the United States will impact on natural resource exploration in northern Alberta, which could affect the hotel’s business in 2009.

In 2008, for the second straight year, the hotel won a Holiday Inn Quality Excellence award, thanks to staff’s quality customer service.

As part of rebranding efforts by Holiday Inn, the hotel is receiving new signage to be completed in early 2009, James said.