Local Events Drive Record Sydney Hotel Performance for May

• Sydney’s hotel industry experienced record-breaking performance metrics in May 2025, driven by key local events.
• The Vivid Sydney festival and sporting events significantly boosted hotel occupancy and revenue.

Sydney’s hotel sector reached new heights in May 2025, with significant increases in average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR), according to preliminary data from CoStar. The city’s hotels saw a 6.7% year-over-year increase in occupancy, reaching 77.4%, the highest for May since 2019.

The peak occupancy rate was recorded on May 31, at 89.1%, coinciding with the annual Vivid Sydney festival. Another notable spike in occupancy occurred on May 3, reaching 88.2%, aligned with a football match between Melbourne City FC and Sydney FC. This event also marked the highest ADR of the month at AUD305.65 and RevPAR at AUD269.55.

The 16th World Congress on Endometriosis, held from May 21-24, also contributed to the elevated hotel performance. On the first night of the congress, occupancy was at 84.2%, with ADR and RevPAR peaking on the final night at AUD287.04 and AUD240.59, respectively.