F1 Boosted Austin Hotel Bookings
Austin hotels saw a lot of extra business during Formula One weekend. Photo by Callie Hernandez/KUT News
Austin-area hotels saw their revenues triple during F1 weekend. A study by Smith Travel Research compared the five-day period this year to the same weekend last year, when the Longhorns hosted Kansas State. Mayor Lee Leffingwell said he’s encouraged by the numbers.
“I think it’s an indication of success,” Leffingwell said. “We don’t have the final numbers in. The state comptroller will figure all that out. Our expectations are at this point that those revenues will be significant, better than we expected.”
Leffingwell said it’s important that next year’s F1 race not take place the same weekend as a UT home game against Oklahoma State. He says he expects one of those events will eventually be rescheduled.
