Coronavirus Slashes Thessaloniki Hotel Numbers in 2020

Photo source: @Thessaloniki Hotels Association

Hoteliers in the northern port city of Thessaloniki saw visitor numbers fall as a result of coronavirus pandemic measures marking a 70.14 percent drop in the number of overnight stays in 2020 compared to a year earlier, according to the Thessaloniki Hotels Association (THA).

More specifically, the total number of overnight stays in Thessaloniki came to 729,246, according to THA data.

Additionally, domestic tourism to the city in 2020 also dropped, with the number of overnight stays falling to 459,585 from 1.12 million in 2019 – a 58.95 percent decline.

In terms of international arrivals, Covid restrictions led to an 80 percent plunge in visitor traffic against 2019 with overnight stays at 269,661 accounting for 36.98 percent of all overnight stays in 2020.

Thessaloniki, northern Greece. Photo Source: @Thessaloniki Travel

Keeping tourism to the Greek city alive were German travelers, who accounted for 25,769 overnight stays in 2020 compared to 86,599 in 2019 – down by 70.24 percent.

The largest declines were recorded in traveler numbers from Israel, Cyprus and the US – all key source markers for Thessaloniki. According to the THA, Israel was down by 167,808 overnight stays compared to 2019, Cyprus by 94,319 and the US by 84,635.

Meanwhile, the average room rate (ARR) in 2020 dropped by 8.3 percent, while revenue per available room (RevPar) came to 25.69 euros, down by 53.5 percent, according to data collected on a monthly basis by research firm GBR Consulting on behalf of the THA.