Demand for college and university lodging is more stable than typical lodging demand, according to the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education Penn State Research Report, “University Lodging Demand: An Analysis of its Stability and Guidance for Estimating its Growth Potential at the Market Level.” Markets dominated by a college are also more stable in terms of room rates.
Although the study concludes that lodging demand in college and university towns is more stable than both U.S. averages and similarly-sized cities, demand for college and university lodging is below overall occupancy and rate levels.
The study analyzed colleges and university-related lodging demand over a 24-year period and focused on 27 college towns.