Study: South Aegean Region Sees Mushrooming of 5-star Hotels During 2000-2015

Oia, Santorini

The South Aegean Region has witnessed the development of five-star hotels increase by some 15 percent from 2000 to 2015 and units of the three top accommodation categories grow by 56 percent during the 15-year period, according to a study on the characteristics of hotels in Greece conducted by the Institute for Tourism Research and Forecasts (ITEP) and commissioned by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels. Moreover, five-star hotels saw the biggest increase during the 15-year period.

Last year a total of 9,706 hotels with a total capacity of 403,792 rooms and 779,118 beds, with an average capacity of 42 rooms, were operating in Greece, data from the register of the chamber revealed.

Referring to data involving the South Aegean Region, the study showed that last year a total of 2,087 hotels, with a total capacity of 100,220 rooms and 195,563 beds, with an average capacity of 48 rooms (from 41 in 2000) were operating on the region’s islands. Hotels in the South Aegean today make up for 21.5 percent of the country’s total units or 24.8 percent of total rooms and 25.1 percent of total beds.

Overall, the development of 5-star hotels in the region over the last fifteen years (2000-2015) grew by 764 percent.

However, in terms of rooms, the increase was around 323 percent, which indicates that newer hotels are no longer as large as as they once were. On the contrary, smaller units with higher specifications and superior quality services offered are recorded.

Lindos, Rhodes

Also, the surge of 5-star hotels is much higher in the Cyclades island complex than that in the Dodecanese.

Nevertheless, the size of hotels of this category remains smaller in the Cyclades (capacity of 46 rooms compared to 228 in the Dodecanese) due mainly to zoning laws.

The study also showed that although the average size of 5-star hotels in the Cyclades remained almost stable over time, it is noticed that the Dodecanese and especially Rhodes, recorded a significant increase in the size of 5-star units.

In addition, the study pointed out that the development of more 3-star hotels and the significant decline of one-star units is proof of the qualitative upgrading of South Aegean Region’s hotels during 2000-2015. Two-star hotels either recorded a slight increase or a small drop, depending on the island.

The study concluded that the opening of hotels in the South Aegean increased by some 15 percent during the 15-year period from 2000 to 2015 while units of the three top categories grew by 56 percent. “This fact indicates the trend to upgrade the quality of offered services”, the study underlined.

The characteristics of hotels in other Greek regions will be presented at the hotel chamber’s 5th General Assembly on Friday, February 12, during the 11th HORECA exhibition.