SAM Magazine—Denver, June 21, 2012—Summer travel is sizzling in western mountain destinations. On-the-books occupancy for the month of June was up 16.2 percent compared to the prior June as of May 31, according to data from the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP). Bookings for the six month period, June through November, are up 17.7 percent compared to the same period last year.

The data come from 15 mountain destinations in Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and California.

According to MTRiP, the average daily rate is also trending up: 2.9 percent across all MTRiP destinations for the month of June, and 3.4 percent for the six-month period.

Occupancy in May, a relatively soft month overall, was up 11.7 percent.

“Strong advanced reservation activity is looking very solid in many destinations, and special events occurring in early summer are already proving their value as both attraction and momentum builder at destinations,” said Ralf Garrison, director of MTRiP. “Destinations that have established lively summer calendars are attracting guests and very solid early bookings.”