The report, released last week by NYC & Co., says citywide hotel occupancy rates have rebounded to within 1% to 2% of where they were a year ago. However, in September 2001, hotel occupancy was 27% behind the same period of 2000.

Average room rates are down 10% to 15% from last year at this time. Daily room rates in October 2001 were down 29% from 2000--the largest post-Sept 11 year-to-year difference.

In July--the most recent statistics available--total hotel rooms filled were down 1.3% from 2001 to 1.54 million, while the overall amount spent on hotel rooms was down $31 million, or 11%, to $264 million. This compares with post-9/11 lows in September 2001 when total hotel room nights were down 30% from September 2000 and total room sales were down 45%.