After a slow and uncertain two years during the pandemic, tourism in Boston is rebounding rapidly, buoyed by sporting and entertainment events that are driving visitors to the city and filling up hotel rooms to near capacity.
The NBA Finals head to TD Garden on Wednesday, with another game on Friday. The U.S. Open in Brookline begins June 16. There will also be a series of concerts at Fenway Park this summer. In addition, it’s wedding season and experts said June is typically the most popular month for nuptials.
"The energy in the city is contagious, the Red Sox are warming up. We’re having one of our strongest wedding seasons," said Boston Park Plaza general manager Shane McWeeny. "We’re going to have extremely high occupancies. It’s not going to be the same levels as 2019, but from a guest perspective and an associate experience it’s going to be very, very close to it."
Most hotel rooms in the city will reach about 90% capacity in June, a roughly 30% hike from last summer when the delta variant disrupted travel plans, analysts said.
The influx of tourists is also a boon to virtually every business.
"If someone’s staying in a hotel, they’re more likely to spend more money while they’re in the destination on dining out, on visiting attractions," said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Demand usually drives up room prices, which means consumers could notice higher rates, especially during the tourism peak in June.