EXAAA: The occupancy of Athenian hotels is low in the 10 months of the year

“The Athenian hotel is facing a new challenge as there is no positive trend in bookings and fullness in the coming months.” This was emphasized by the hoteliers of Athens in the context of the regular general assembly of the Athens Hotel Association of Attica and Argosaronikos, pointing out that the good months that preceded were from June to October 2021 (these are the only months with a positive sign during two years of the pandemic covid-19) can not fill the gaps, losses and needs created.

Athens, in the previous months may have managed to compete with its competitors, however, with an average occupancy of not more than 45% in the 10 months of 2021 – compared to the corresponding period last year – and with a number of hotel and non-hotel beds of all types to are constantly added to its supply without strategy, without plan and without the corresponding demand to support them, the future looks difficult.

These conclusions emerge both from the monthly hotel performance statistics that the Union continuously collects in collaboration with GBR Consulting, and from what was said by the representatives of the Athens-Attica hotels during the meeting of the 51st Annual Ordinary General Meeting. Members of the Union.

In his intervention, the Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias informed the participating hoteliers about the priorities of the ministry, which include the support of 12-month hotels, and he knows that they are under special pressure at this time until Greek tourism is revived.

Mr. Kikilias also spoke about the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism to strengthen areas that have been affected, such as the city break and the cruise, announced a new advertising campaign launched for Athens in the new year, but also for positive messages and forecasts. for 2022.

For her part, the president of EXAAA Lambrini Karanasiu Zulovic, addressing the Minister of Tourism, noted that “the problems created by both the long-term economic crisis and the ensuing pandemic, hit the tourism industry hard, especially the urban destinations and especially the hotels of Athens “. “Sometimes with closed hotels, sometimes with open hotels – but essentially closed, without customers-tourists, we tried to manage the absence of visitors, the big issues of employment, the implementation of health protocols, the adaptation to a complex new reality, while areas such as conference business tourism, hotel events, cruises, were irreparably affected “he noted and added:” The positive performance for Athens from June-July 21 to October and with a November without marathon runners, with an average fullness that does not exceed 45% – and we stay here because there is nothing positive in the coming months – they are certainly not able to make up for the huge losses of two years of pandemic and those that preceded the years 2008-2018 especially for Athenian hotels. What we are already facing at the national level, are coming to add a new difficult winter that we do not know where it will lead us “Internationally, issues with increases in energy tariffs, serious issues concerning employment and workers”.

“The moves that we believe need to be made are to jointly draw up a flexible situation management strategy, to intensify efforts to promote and highlight the specifics of the destination in international markets and to strengthen in practice the 12-month hotel units,” she said. President of EXAAA.

At the same time, he spoke about the risk of oversupply of beds of all types in the city, disproportionate to demand and serious issues of surprise and unfair competition.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ