Go hard, don't go home
Austin hotels approach no vacancy days before SXSW begins
While many cities prepare for a busy tourist season this summer, Austin's comes a little early. South by Southwest (SXSW) is back in town, and this festival pumps millions of dollars into Austin's local economy.
The hospitality industry was hit especially hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, so this festival couldn't come at a better time.
The Fairmont Austin explained that the spring festival is an incredibly profitable event for hotels.
"We are pacing to be fully committed for the event," said Melissa Farrar, Fairmont Austin director of communications. "... What I tell you today versus two hours from now might change."
Farrar said to keep an eye on the website if residents or visitors to Austin want to book a room, because availability could change at a moment's notice.
In 2020, SXSW became one of the pandemic's first causalities. 2022 was the first year that SXSW was back to "normal" and held an in-person festival since the closure.
Last year, the festival brought around $280.7 million in economic impact, according to the festival's economic impact report. Compared to 2019, with the economic impact being closer to the tune of $355.9 million, 2022 looks like a drop in the bucket to Austin's economy.
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