Article - HVS Market Report - Kansas City Flourishing Demand Generators Bolster Hotel Interest - By Daniel P. McCoy and Benjamin Giebler - The Kansas City hotel market has rebounded following the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and high levels of leisure demand and the return of convention activity have driven the recovery. Despite rising construction costs, a number of hotel developments are proposed in Kansas City, signaling an optimistic outlook for the market.
Similar to the rest of the nation, hotel metrics in St. Louis plummeted in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the market had entered a healthy recovery phase by the spring of 2021. Growth accelerated through the remainder of the year, fueled by a surge of leisure travel and the slow reemergence of commercial demand, as well as the return of conventions and major events.