Hotel occupancy rates in Athens showed signs of improvement in September as a result of this year’s tourist dynamic, said the city’s hotel association.
Hellenic Chamber of Hotels President Alexandros Vassilikos has been elected president of HOTREC, the umbrella association for Hotels, Restaurants, & Cafes in Europe.
Despite Greece’s strong comeback in tourism in 2022, Athens hoteliers are far from satisfied with the occupancy levels in the first eight months of the year.
A study found hotel stays in Athens more affordable compared to most other European destinations with average room rates much lower than those offered in rival cities.
Hotels in the Greek capital are still struggling to increase occupancy levels, which suffered a blow after the onset of Covid-19, according to the Athens-Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association.
Athens hotel room rates were cheaper than rival cities - Rome, Paris, Vienna, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid and Istanbul - in the first five months of 2022, according to data by GBR Consulting.
Hoteliers in Athens are disappointed as occupancy rates, recorded in the first 4 months of the year, marked a 33.6% decline over the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.
Athens’ tourism industry will cover lost ground and start to rebound during the second semester of 2022, according to Athens International Airport CEO Yiannis Paraschis.
Athens’ cultural sites and Covid-19 safety measures were among the main reasons why leisure travelers chose to visit the Greek capital in 2021, a survey reveals.
