Survey: Thessaloniki Scores Big In Popularity But Low In Hotel Occupancy

Thessaloniki, White Tower by night (Photo: www.thessaloniki.travel)

Thessaloniki may have high visitor satisfaction ratings but the Greek Northern city is lagging behind in occupancy and average room rates compared with 26 other European cities, according to a 2013 customer satisfaction and hotel performance survey. The survey was conducted by the Thessaloniki Hotels Association and GBR Consulting.

According to the survey, the vast majority of leisure and business travelers (91-93 percent) would strongly recommend Thessaloniki to others. The survey focused on features directly connected with the city that promote it as a “city break” destination for markets abroad.

In terms of hotel performance, Thessaloniki recorded a 4.3 percent drop in occupancy during the January-October 2013 period compared with the year before. The decline in occupancy was accompanied by a five percent fall in the average room rate – the lowest level since 2007 – ranking Thessaloniki in the lowest position among 26 European cities.

More into the survey, visitors to Thessaloniki spend an average of 62-71 euros per day on sightseeing, eating, shopping, etc. Tourists tend to book lower-category hotels (one- and two-stars) in order to spend more money on activities in the city (73.04 euros). However, the survey showed that guests of five-star hotels were the biggest spenders (92.5 euros per day).

The survey also showed that the average length of stay in Thessaloniki for business reasons was 3.5 nights and 3.9 nights for for leisure travel. Most travelers that visit Thessaloniki are 30 to 50 years of age.