Summer travelers and the Billy Graham mission in June gave Greater Cincinnati hoteliers their best monthly occupancy rates in almost two years, according to figures released Friday.

        With about 200,000 visitors flocking to Cincinnati's riverfront in late June to see the Rev. Mr. Graham, the average Cincinnati-area hotel occupancy rate climbed to 63.6 percent, a 5.1 percentage point increase from a year ago, Hendersonville, Tenn.-based Smith Travel Research reported.

        That's the highest average occupancy rate area hotels have enjoyed since August 2000.

        Area hoteliers aren't ready to say the Cincinnati hospitality industry has rebounded from 2001 when an extended Comair pilots strike, April's riots, a boycott, terrorist strikes and economic malaise combined to push the region's hotel occupancy to the lowest rank among 82 markets tracked by Smith Travel Research.

        But the improved figures provide room for optimism.

        “We've had a banner summer out here,” said Renee Wuerdeman, director of sales, Kings Island Resort & Conference Center in Mason. “We've had one of our most successful seasons ever.”

        Through the first six months of the year, Cincinnati-area hotels increased occupancy 7.7 percentage points to an average rate of 57.1 percent.

        The figures released Friday didn't include a more detailed breakdown for different areas of Greater Cincinnati.

        Despite the improved occupancy rates, room rates are cheaper than a year ago. The typical Cincinnati-area room rate declined 1.4 percentage points in June and 1.9 percentage points through the first six months of the year.

        A skimpy convention schedule for July and August could prove more problematic for downtown hotels, which depend on business travelers and trade and religious groups. Among the major losses: the 8,000-member Progressive National Baptist Convention.

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