Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Love Field Airport, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, and local employers and headquarters, particularly within the telecommunications, technology, insurance, financial services, and healthcare fields, represent the primary sources of demand in the greater Dallas market. Occupancy surpassed the 60% mark from 2005 through 2007; during that same period, ADR improved above the rate of inflation year-over-year. The effects of the Great Recession caused occupancy to decline in 2008 and 2009. Occupancy rebounded in 2010 and continued to increase through 2016, reaching a new peak above 71% that year. However, data for 2017 through 2019 illustrate contractions in occupancy, attributed primarily to the effects of new supply. During the last few years, lodging demand was supported by strengthening corporate activity, particularly in the northern suburbs, as well as revitalization efforts and growth in the high-density residential, office, hotel, and retail/restaurant sectors within the downtown area. The pace of ADR growth slowed in 2017, as increased supply prompted a more competitive environment. Similar to the national average, data for 2019 reflect a minor dip in RevPAR, as the pipeline of new supply weakened occupancy and ADR growth slowed to less than 1%.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the Dallas lodging market, as illustrated by the nearly 50% RevPAR decline in 2020 when compared to the 2019 level. However, the magnitude of the decline was less severe than that experienced by the average of the top 25 markets. Nonetheless, weakened hotel demand yielded an annual occupancy of approximately 43% for 2020, while ADR plummeted to just over $85. After occupancy bracketed the 40% mark in early 2021, significant damage from a severe winter storm in February spurred an uptick in hotel demand from area residents who were displaced from water-damaged homes. In March 2021, the governor rescinded all COVID-related governmental restrictions. Year-end 2021 data reflect strengthening occupancy and ADR for the Dallas market; however, RevPAR growth for Dallas in 2021 was below the average of primary markets in the country. While lagging business travel and group demand trends are anticipated to continue in the near term, demand related to these two segments is expected to accelerate in the spring of 2022. Over the longer term, the market is positioned to recover to pre-pandemic levels, as the Metroplex's diverse base of employers and growth related to corporate relocations and numerous projects under development should assist in its recovery.

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