OCEAN CITY, Md. - Hotels in Ocean City posted modest gains in room revenue in 2025 compared to 2024. April through August saw an increase in hotel occupancy in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, but overall, the town experienced a slight decline, according to the Hotel Motel Restaurant Association.
Susan Jones, executive director of the association, said hotels generated about 1.3 percent more room revenue per available room year over year, driven largely by higher room rates during key summer months.
“In looking at some of those summer months, they were strong,” Jones said.
At the Residence Inn in Ocean City, General Manager Keith Whisenant said the hotel saw a 2.5 percent increase in revenue compared to 2024. He credited the town’s schedule of events, particularly concerts, with attracting visitors.
“The events that the town brought, especially regarding concerts. Great clientele they brought in. It was phenomenal,” Whisenant said.
Ocean City tourism data shows mixed results for hotels in 2025.
While revenue improved, overall hotel occupancy in Ocean City declined by 0.2 percent compared to the previous year. Jones noted the drop was far smaller than in other resort destinations, including Myrtle Beach, which saw a 5.1 percent decline, and the state of Delaware, where occupancy fell by 3.4 percent.
Jones said Ocean City now faces increased competition for vacationers, not just from other beach towns, but from destinations nationwide and abroad.
“It’s very easy to hop on a plane to get on a cruise ship,” she said. “So we are no longer just competing with the traditional beach towns that we used to compete with. We are competing with everything all over the country, all over the world.”
Jones also said restaurants continue to feel the effects of changing travel habits, as more visitors choose accommodations with kitchens and cook meals to save money.
“That means that they’re cooking more meals in the condo,” Jones said. “So the grocery stores are seeing great increases in their numbers, but fewer people are dining out because they still want to come to the beach.”
Whisenant added that weather remains a major factor in Ocean City’s overall tourism performance, noting that extended periods of rain can deter visitors and reduce spending across the resort.