Austin American-Statesman

City’s hotel bookings increased

F1

- Continued from B

the first time this has ever happened.”

According to STR, an American company that tracks hotel supply and demand, San Antonio hotels registered a consistent boost during the fiveday period ending on race day. On Wednesday, bookings were up 17 percent year over year; Thursday bookings were up 30 percent; Friday and Saturday, 22 percent; and 20 percent on Sunday.

Hotel room rates also were higher — up 17 percent to 22 percent over the same period a year ago. Neil Goldman is founder and CEO of Hotels for Hope, the hotel booking partner for Circuit of the Americas.

Goldman said the rate for Austin hotels used by his group averaged $393.69 while that of the San Antonio hotels was less than half of that, $184.20.

Donald Wearden, a tourism planner for the Shops at La Cantera and North Star Mall on the north side of San Antonio, said Formula One-related shoppers provided an early and profitable start to Black Friday. Some upscale shops reported making their November sales target before Black

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