SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo. June 17, 2026—Booking pace at western mountain destinations softened in May following an April surge, but summer lodging demand remains healthy, with occupancy, room rates, and revenue all tracking ahead of last year, according to the latest DestiMetrics Market Briefing from Inntopia.

As of May 31, occupancy for the May-October summer season was up 3.7 percent year over year, with gains in every month except October. Average daily rate (ADR) increased 6.4 percent, helping drive a 10.3 percent increase in projected lodging revenue.

“We are launching into the summer on an optimistic note this month—even with the slight dip in booking pace,” said Tom Foley, director of business intelligence for Inntopia. “That pent-up demand from the dismal winter helped get the summer off to a good early start.”

May posted solid results, with occupancy up 3.9 percent, ADR up 8.2 percent, and lodging revenue up 12.6 percent compared with May 2025.

The Fourth of July holiday period is pacing ahead of last year, with occupancy for July 4 up 4.7 percent and July 5 up 2.9 percent. Length of stay also increased, rising from an average of 2.28 nights last year to 2.8 nights this summer.

International demand showed signs of improvement. Canadian bookings are up 19 percent compared with this time last year, though they remain 36.2 percent below 2024 levels. Overall bookings for the four primary international markets are now up 10.3 percent over last summer.

Luxury lodging properties continue to lead the market, posting a 7.6 percent increase in occupancy and a 14.6 percent gain in revenue for the summer season.

“From an occupancy and rate standpoint, the summer is looking very good for lodging properties right now and they are clearly ‘making hay while the sun shines,’” said Foley. 

Despite the positive lodging outlook, Foley pointed to several factors that could affect demand later in the summer. Inflation reached 4.2 percent in May, while gasoline prices rose 40.5 percent and airfares increased 26.7 percent compared to a year ago.

“The price of gas and airfare are the primary concerns for the travel industry right now,” Foley said, noting that higher travel costs and pressure on discretionary spending could influence consumer travel decisions in the months ahead.

The monthly DestiMetrics Market Briefing analyzes aggregated lodging performance and booking data from participating lodging properties at 17 western mountain destinations.