Region's tourism industry endures a dreary February (The Day, New London, Conn.)

A monthly survey of the region's tourism industry showed continued softness in February, with declines registered among hotels, tourism attractions, the region's two casinos and restaurants.

The Mystic Places Travel Index for February showed an overall decline of 2.3 percent compared to last February. The overall decline for the first two months of the year also was 2.3 percent, according to the monthly index compiled for the Mystic Coast & Country Travel Industry Association.

The Norwich-based tourism group, which is based in Norwich, said the tourism index in January also was off 2.5 percent compared to last year's results. January and February aren't considered strong months for the tourism industry across New England. Activity typically picks up in the spring and gains further traction into the summer months.

Eastern Connecticut's tourism industry also has been developing its fall season, known as the "shoulder season," for tourists interested in viewing fall foliage or visiting the region's attractions without the usual summer crowds.

The monthly index measures the results from numerous tourism-based venues, from hotels and popular tourism attractions to Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mohegan Sun and restaurants. During February, the Mystic Coast & Country index showed a nearly 8 percent decline in lodging, almost a 17 percent falloff in attraction visits and about a 2 percent drop in restaurant dining. In addition, activity at the casinos was off almost 2 percent during February, the index showed.

Chris Jennings, who heads Mystic Coast & Country, said the index did show some signs of improvement. Despite declines in hotel demand and occupancy for the first two months of this year, the average daily rate has increased significantly, the first time it has done so in several years, according to Mystic Coast & Country's analysis.

The year-to-date average daily rate, known in the industry as the ADR, increased to $112.02 in February, up a healthy 5 percent from the average daily rate of $106.82 in February 2003. Year-to-date room revenues are down by only 4 percent despite a more than 8 percent decline in room demand, according to the travel index, because of increases in the rates charged for the rooms.

Across Connecticut, room demand was up 1.1 percent in January, while Massachusetts said demand for its hotel rooms rose 2.5 percent. New England, however, was off nearly a percent during the month. Comparable figures weren't available for February or for the first two months of the year.

By Anthony Cronin, The Day, New London, Conn.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News