Athens Hoteliers Optimistic For 2014

Tourist arrivals and revenue in Athens picked up in 2013 after six years of downward trend, according to data released at a press conference on 19 February by the Athens-Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association.

Alexandros Vassilikos, president of the Athens-Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association. Photo credit: Fosphotos

According to the association’s president, Alexandros Vassilikos, although hoteliers in the Greek capital are still counting tremendous losses recorded since 2007-2008, the first positive signs of recovery are apparent.

Last year, hotels in Athens-Attica saw an 11 percent increase in occupancy and an 8.7 percent rise in revenue per available room when compared to 2012.

Mr. Vassilikos commented that the rise was due to the fact that Athenian hoteliers kept their prices on low and competitive levels.

He added that the Greek capital made a tourism comeback last year also because Athens showed a calmer image and no longer made headlines in regards to social unrest. “Unlike our competitors such as Istanbul that experienced serious social unrest and counted losses in tourism up to 15.2 percent,” Mr. Vassilikos said.

However, hotel owners in Athens still refer to the city’s tourism as “fragile.” They said political stability was essential for the Greek capital to experience a substantial recovery in tourism.