Feb. 18–Occupancy at Sacramento-area hotels landed just below the key 70 percent threshold in 2013, according to the San Francisco office of hotel industry tracker/consultant PKF Consulting USA.

PKF said the average occupancy rate among area hotels last year was 68.1 percent, up 2.3 percent from 66.6 percent in 2012. Hotel industry analysts say the 70 percent threshold is where hotels can raise room rates and generate more revenue.

Sacramento’s yearlong average was affected by a tepid December, when average occupancy was only 56.9 percent. Historically, that’s not unusual. In 2012, the area’s average December occupancy rate was only 54.9 percent.

Sacramento-area hotels saw other improvements year-over-year: The average daily hotel room rate in the Sacramento area in 2013 was $97.57, up 3.8 percent from 2012. Average revenue per room last year was $66.48, up 6.2 percent from $62.59 the previous year.