Amarillo hotel industry growing as more hotels set to open soon

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The hotel industry is growing in Amarillo with three new properties opening on the west end of town in the next year and a half, including a Microtel by Wyndham and a Hampton by Hilton set to open in the fall.

Currently, there are 8,000 hotel rooms in Amarillo and a normal occupancy rate for the year hovers around 65 percent.

In 2022, Amarillo broke the two-night stay average meaning visitors stay overnight in town for two nights or longer. However, the Amarillo Convention and Visitors Bureau says most visitors are just passing through.

“We are definitely a pass-through for many destinations so Dallas, Houston as they go through to get to Denver or to get to New Mexico you know those types of trips,” said Kashion Smith, executive director, Amarillo Convention and Visitors Bureau.

2022 was also the first time Amarillo has broken $1 billion in visitor spending. In part, Smith said, it comes from corporate business visits.

“We have such a diverse economy that all of these different markets feed us with hotel nights whether that be government or distribution you know all of these really create the need for room nights,” said Smith.

Amarillo receives corporate hotel visits from different industries, including distribution, government, agriculture, medical, and energy.

“We’re a hub for distribution for the country,” Smith said. “We don’t really a lot of times put the picture together what that really means for travel and to get that business done you’re bringing people in so they’re staying in the hotels so it definitely provides us a good base.”

With visitor growth and new hotels, the Convention and Visitors Bureau prepares for the added inventory by offering events during the tourist season.

“We have very high peaks with tourism season so we are a tourist town but we also have a very steady during the week base of corporate stays,” said Smith “We’re a good stable tourism community.”

2021 was historically the busiest tourism year with an occupancy rate of 68.6 percent. Occupancy rates during Spring Break can be as high as 75 percent but are normally around 68 to 70 percent. June and July are always in the mid to high 70 percent.