TEMPE – The rate changes between vacation seasons are common in the hospitality world and are often more than just demand and supply.

The everyday consumer can find a hotel room going for one price in the winter and a completely different price in the summer. These changes are often due to local activities, sports seasons and festivals.

Fairfield hotel by Marriott is entering their peak summer seasons and with the rise in customers, there also comes a rise in prices.

Shauna Mitchell, a Fairfield receptionist, mentioned that the hotel is entering a season where they have a surge of consumers traveling for sports and festivals. The original price of a hotel per night ranges about $100 and up, but during busy seasons the starting rate jumps to about $300.

“They do pay for it because they want better service, a better room and a safer location,” said Mitchell.

In July of 2025, the Arizona department of tourism estimated 237,503 national park visitations. In November, those numbers dropped to 202,244, proving the seasonal travel rates in Arizona rise with the temperatures.

Northern Arizona University hospitality student Jo Szeli said that the fluctuation of prices are based on geography, which is reflected in the national park visitations.

“In Flagstaff specifically, the hotter summer months are slow while the colder winter months are busier but the opposite goes for Phoenix,” said Szeli.

Local businesses are also impacted by this fluctuation because “busy seasons for hotels have to be busy seasons for those businesses” according to Szeli.

Alma Navarro, a cashier at the Cracker Barrel by the Fairfield hotel, claims the hotel rates to be too high regardless of the season.

“I mean it's highway robbery, just down the street, the prices are half of Fairfield, so you just need to shop around for what works,” Navarro said.

The Arizona State department of tourism reported that the hotel occupancy rates dropped by almost 10% from January to February.

This large change just from month to month can be an explanation for how often the rates change in hotels.

Szeli said if there was anything they could change in the world of hospitality, it would be more consistent with rates annually.

Szeli suggests consumers take this information and research the local hotels around them when planning their vacations.

“The system may be against you but use it to your advantage to get the most out of the cheapest vacation possible,” Szeli said.