What does the comparison show in relation to 2023
A 2.2% increase in demand was recorded in October for the first time in five months with a negative sign in its hotel occupancy Athens, compared to the corresponding month of 2023 and thus gave a positive sign to the course of the 10 months of 2024 (+1.6%). According to what is indicated in a statement of the Athens-Attica and Argosaronic Hotel Association (EXAAA), in terms of average room price, October 2024 was better by 9% compared to October 2023. Accordingly, at the 10-month level, the average price increased by 8.9% .
Athens and international destinations
The average occupancy of Athens in October 2024 (2.2%) in relation to the competitor cities is as follows: In Madrid the average occupancy increased by 3.1%, in Rome by 3.3%, in Istanbul by 9% and in Barcelona alone occupancy decreased by 3.7%. In terms of average room rate (ADR), comparing the average price of Athens in October 2024 against October 2023 (+9 %) and against competitor cities, it is observed that the average price of Madrid increased by 5.2%, Rome by 2 .7%, while Istanbul and Barcelona remained at the same levels.
At the level of 10 months 2024, comparing the Mediterranean cities of Rome, Barcelona, Madrid and Istanbul, the occupancy of Athens showed a small increase (+1.6% compared to the corresponding period last year), while the occupancy in Madrid and Istanbul increased by 4 .7% and 6.6% respectively. In Rome and Barcelona the demand/occupancy remained at the same levels as last year. In terms of Average Room Rate (ADR), Athens saw an ADR increase of 8.9% in 10M 2024/23, during which Madrid continued to record double-digit growth of 14.5% and Barcelona an 8.1% increase. Rome gained a slight increase of 1.4% while Istanbul saw its ADR decrease by 7.6%.
Strengthening the popularity of Athens
Athens, as the figures show, is going through an interesting time for its popularity and has managed to improve its position against its competitors quite a bit – compared to previous decades. “This popularity of Athens, which has a positive effect on demand, competitiveness, prices, revenues, and thus on the economic results of the city and the state, clearly, must be preserved as an “apple of the eye” but also strengthened” states the Sixteen.
This, according to the Union, happened on the one hand because it was achieved with great effort and through the enormous patience and endurance shown by hotelier sector and the tourist world in crises and on the other hand because the State itself must return part of its “tourist” revenues to society, to businesses, to destinations, it was noted in APE BEE.
“So we want to believe that the various fees (municipal-accommodation fees for non-residents – which were increased for example in the Municipality of Athens, or “resistance to climate change”, etc.) and the contributions of all types deposited by the hotel units, serve principle this philosophy – of contribution but also of reciprocity” is emphasized in the same announcement.
It is also emphasized that with the tax bill “Measures to enhance income, tax incentives for innovation and business transformations and other provisions” submitted to the Parliament and promoting, among other things, the increase of the resilience fee, “it is possible to budget precisely the sums that will certainly be collected from the hotels of all categories, but not the sums that may or may not be collected by rooms for rent of an unknown number and from short-term rental beds”.
“At the end of next year we will all be here, at the valuation – both of the revenues that will be collected and the projects that will be launched/announced “in order to cover costs of prevention and restoration of natural disasters, climate change adaptation projects and costs of improving of infrastructure to support the country’s tourism product” as described in the bill”, highlights the EXAAA.
