Positive Outlook in Tourism Traffic for 2007

The Athens Hoteliers Association recently shared statistics collected from monthly reports on hotel occupancy in Athens and the Attica region. In the months of May and June an increase in traffic has been noted of approximately six percent. In June, the average occupancy of four-star hotels had a 7.9 percent increase.

The results were equally positive for other categories in June as the table below illustrates. Statistics collected by JBR Hellas-Howarth on behalf of the hoteliers association indicate that Athens still holds a lower position in hotel occupancy compared with other European destinations such as Paris, Amsterdam and Istanbul.

However, there is a positive trend as there has been an average increase of 5.3% in occupancy, a 7.3% increase in the average price per room and an average 12.9 increase in income per available room.

Meanwhile, the Athens Hotelier Association says it continues to promote the Athens region as a city break destination. After the success of the events organized by the association in Paris in May, it anticipates more events as such in Germany  (Berlin, Cologne) and London.

The association will also create an Athens hotel guide in French in order to participate with the Greek National Tourism Organization in a workshop that will take place in France for the largest tour operators in the region.

The guide in French will initially be distributed at the GNTO stand at the tourism exhibition in Deauville, France, where on average, 2,000 tour operators participate. The association anticipates the success of the brochure and aims to distribute it in all international tourism exhibitions held in France.

Hotel Occupancy Rates

OCCUPANCY, AVERAGE PRICE PER ROOM (APR) & REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM (RevPar)