Providence hotels see rise in occupancy

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- The hotel business in Rhode Island's capital has seen one of their best years in nearly a decade.

According to the Providence-Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB), occupancy was 81.4 percent in June, the first time Providence hotels have surpassed 80 percent since 2004.

The city saw a number of high-profile events in June, such as Round 2 of auditions for "The X Factor" and the Netroots Nation conference .

"The idea of vacating a city during the hot summer months is an outdated concept, at least here in Providence," said PWCVB President and CEO Martha Sheridan in a statement.

Overall, occupancy rates in the city are above 2011 levels for the first six months of the year, and they show no signs of slowing. More events are expected to bring thousands to the Ocean State in August, such as the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon.