PHOENIX — Hotel stays across the state were down in January.
That’s according to data released Tuesday by the Arizona Office of Tourism.
Hotel sales dropped 4.8 percent, to $485.9 million, from the same time last year.
But while hotel stays were down, overall tourism climbed slightly. Bolstered by a 20.4 percent increase in amusement sales — equating to $181 million — overall tourism-related sales increased 0.5 percent in January over the same time in 2023.
Restaurants and bars reported $1.8 billion in sales, up 1.3 percent, while retail sales increased 0.3 percent, to $8.1 billion.
Hotels stays are charged 5.5 percent in taxes that are used to support tourism efforts in the state, while the other sectors — restaurants and bars, retail and amusements — combine for another 5.6 percent in taxes.
The result is an estimated $99.6 million in tourism taxes collected in January, down 0.7 percent from the same time last year.
