Long Island hotel stays picking up

More people are staying in Long Island lodgings compared to this time last year.

The hotel occupancy rate for Long Island rose 3.4 percent last month over May 2010 to 68.2 percent, according to Smith Travel Research. The increase occurred after April's occupancy percentage also crept up 0.9 points over April 2010, following a steady three-month slide at the beginning of 2011.

Summer hotel stays are fueled by vacationers, and industry experts say the high gas prices could keep Long Island and New York City travelers in the area when they want to get away.

"Higher energy costs, higher food costs are going to restrict more distant travel for Long Islanders and residents of the New York metropolitan area," said Pearl Kamer, chief economist for the Long Island Association. She added that travelers from nearby states such as Connecticut or New Jersey will also set their eyes on Long Island.

"I think people will still want to take some vacation," Kamer said. "It's just going to be shorter and less expensive."

Gurney's Inn, a resort in Montauk, has been largely booked until Labor Day, with a few open nights "here and there," said Ingrid Lemme, a spokeswoman for Gurney's. She added that there is about a 5 percent increase in occupancy compared to last year.

Moke McGowan, president of the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the increase in occupancy rate is also a sign of the economy recovering. But travelers "are still holding to the frugality that came about with the recession," he added.

In May, American Express Spending & Saving Tracker reported that 59 percent of Americans were planning to travel this summer, up from 51 percent last year. In particular, there was a 5 percent increase in vacationers who preferred weekend trips, the survey found.

Long Island may be able to provide that quick getaway for residents of nearby urban areas and states. "We're a relatively short drive destination with a very strong leisure product," McGowan said.

The average daily cost of a hotel room on Long Island was about $120.93 in May, according to Smith Travel. Room rates on Long Island have been steadily increasing since June 2010 and consistently remain about $10 to $20 more than average daily rates of hotels across America.

The national occupancy rate, steadily rising since early 2010, was 61.5 percent for May.