Do not copy July into September in Tbilisi

July in Tbilisi fills with people who will pay for a balcony and a late table. September still looks busy from the gate — conferences, a few wine guests heading east, families finishing school holidays — but the mix is different, and the length of stay is often shorter. Copying July’s BAR into the first two weeks of September is a habit we see in extracts more often than anyone admits in the meeting.

Pull occupancy by week, not the word “shoulder.” In more than one house we sat with, week thirty-six held occupancy while ADR fell because the Tuesday gap was filled on a portal at a rate written in June. The Friday walk-in, when it came, was quoted a number that belonged to another month.

The city’s own calendar is a better spine than a borrowed seasonal adjective. New Year has its own shape. The week after Orthodox Easter empties some dining rooms even when rooms look acceptable. A festival weekend in the old town can carry three days and leave Thursday looking like a different hotel.

Before you lock September, print last year’s occupancy by weekday for those weeks and set it beside the BAR you are about to load. If Tuesday was given away to stay full, decide whether that is still the trade you want. If Friday held, do not lower it to match a portal promotion written for the heat.

This is not a plea for higher rates everywhere. It is a plea for the week you are actually selling. The Seasonal Rate Study exists for houses that want that calendar on paper before the loading day.