Lighthouse Quick Takes - Washington DC election week hotel occupancy

In this Lighthouse Quick Take, Blake explores why Washington, DC hotels see weak demand during election week. Lighthouse on the books occupancy data for the Monday through Wednesday of election week shows the 2022 midterm finishing at 63% and the 2024 presidential election at 46%, against 78% to 80% in the non-election weeks of 2023 and 2025. The gap appears early: 2024 stood at 6% on the books 120 days out, versus 10% a year later.

For revenue managers, the data shows that an anti event, a date that suppresses demand, can be forecast months ahead. Listeners will understand how to read lead time buildup, what 2026 pickup suggests for next week and why event-week pricing risks deterring the limited demand that remains.