HONG KONG

Hotels Experience Sharp Drop in Occupancy: Hoteliers suffered in May as Taiwan’s monthlong ban on group travel to China reduced the number of tourists seeking rooms. For all hotels, the overall room occupancy rate fell to 82% from 88% in April and 87% in the year-earlier period, the Hong Kong Tourist Assn. said. The medium-tariff hotels, which are often favored by the Taiwanese, were hit hardest. Their occupancy rate slipped to 81% in May from 89% in April and 91% in May, 1993. However, occupancy in the territory’s luxury hotels wasn’t as badly affected: 80% in May compared to 86% in April and 78% in May, 1993.