A 58-point penetration ladder: chains hold 86% of keys around airports but just 28% in regional Australia — where 3,583 mostly independent properties average only 33 rooms. Regional and secondary urban markets are where the remaining conversion runway sits.
Chain room penetration by location type: Airport precincts 86.0% (85 hotels, 10,235 rooms, average 120 rooms per hotel); City centres 77.1% (946 hotels, 111,580 rooms, average 118); Capital cities 58.1% (1,132 hotels, 64,912 rooms, average 57); Secondary urban 39.9% (811 hotels, 34,781 rooms, average 43); Regional 27.5% (3,583 hotels, 118,758 rooms, average 33). National average 52.7%.