MENLO PARK, CA-Pacific Media Associates, the global market information experts on large-screen displays, reports that the hospitality market is experiencing unprecedented growth, and presents important opportunities for sales of flat panel HDTVs. Nearly 111,500 new hotel rooms were under construction in the U.S. as of March 2006, of which about 75,000 will be completed this year.
"Flat panel televisions have some important advantages over traditional CRT models," noted Pacific Media vice president Rosemary Abowd. "The smaller footprint of these sets gives designers the freedom to use smaller furniture. This space savings can be used to fit additional rooms per floor without sacrificing guest space. The space can also be used to make room for other amenities or simply provide a more luxurious experience."
In addition to new construction, however, ongoing renovation of existing properties account for even greater opportunities; some sources estimate that there are 4 million hotel rooms in the U.S., and these undergo major renovation every seven to 10 years, resulting in at least 400,000 redecorated rooms each year.
