Hotel occupancy in Lebanon’s capital Beirut stood at 69% in the first quarter of 2010, unchanged from the same period last year.

The occupancy rate at Beirut hotels was the 14th highest among 18 markets in the Middle East, according to the survey of the region’s hotel sector by Ernst & Young.

The average rate per room at Beirut hotels increased by 22.7% to stand at $249 in the first three months of 2010.

Revenues per available room (revPAR) were $174 in Beirut in the first quarter of 2010 and overall revPAR was up 22.4% year-on-year, according to Lebanon newspaper The Daily Star.