Baltin said business travel is expected to be strong in the Valley during the second quarter. Convention business is expected to pick up in the downtown Los Angeles area in the fall, and that should mean some convention spillover for Valley hotels, he said. Hotel prices will likely level off over the next two years, he said. Room rates throughout Los Angeles grew 4.1 percent in April 1999 to an average of $116.99 compared to $112.43 in April 1998. Citywide occupancy rates dropped 1 percent, to 72 percent.