By JAMES FINK
jfink@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1611

Occupancy rates continued to rise through the first quarter, mirroring other local statistics and economic factors that indicate the hospitality industry is climbing out of its slump.

According to statistics compiled by Smith Travel Research of Nashville, rates for hotel room nights in Buffalo and Erie County rose 4.4 percent in March and 5.8 percent through the first three months of the year. The occupancy rate went from 57.4 percent in March 2010 to 59.9 percent this past March.

From January to March, hotel occupancy rose from the 50.2 percent reported in 2010 to 53.1 percent this year.

In Niagara Falls, hotel occupancy increased 1.6 percent in March and 1.2 percent for the first quarter. The Cataract City saw a rise from 41 percent in March 2010, and for the January-to-March period, it was up from 36.4 percent a year ago.

Those numbers compare with another key figure in the hospitality industry.

Passenger counts at both Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Niagara Falls International Airport rose as well, both in March and for the year. Airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue - the two busiest carriers at the Buffalo airport - reported passenger-count increases of 8.75 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

In Niagara Falls, the airport's assenger count was up 107.7 percent in March and 140 percent for the year.

Buffalo, Erie County and Niagara Falls were not alone in seeing an increase in hotel occupancy rates.

Rochester reported a 1 percent increase in March to 48.9 percent. For the year, through March, the Flower City's hotel occupancy rate remained flat at 43.8 percent.

Nationally, the hotel room occupancy rate rose 6.1 percent in March, up from 57.9 percent. For the January-to-March period, the national hotel occupancy room rate rose 5.7 percent to 54.9 percent.