Brazil Hotels Post Record Profitability, Jones LaSalle Says

Hotels profitability rose to a record in Brazil last year as rates jumped 17 percent, underscoring the need for tourism infrastructure investment amid growing inflow of visitors, a report by Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.’s hotel consultancy unit and Brazil’s Hotel Operators Forum show.

Revenue per available room rose 21 percent on average to 147 reais ($72.47) at hotels in the country’s urban areas, the steepest increase since at least 2005, according to the report, which surveyed 400 hotels. The average daily rate was 211 reais last year, up from 180 reais in 2010, and already increased 18 percent in the first five months of this year, the data show.