Hospitality News

The minimum hotel prices for 2010 will be reduced by five percent, according to a decision announced last month by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels.

Hilton Worldwide recently announced the signing of a franchise license agreement with Akti Helona S.A. to operate a Doubletree by Hilton Resort on the island of Kos.

The majority of hotels that modernized their operations and infrastructure and enhanced their overall presence in the domestic and international market held a strong position during the global economic crisis when compared with 2008, according to a research study carried out by the Hotels Association of Magnesia.

Any election period and political instability in general is negative for tourism, which in the center of Athens is up against a decrease of 20 percent or more in revenues, the president of the Athens-Attica Hotel Association, Yiannis Retsos, recently told the Greek press.

The Athens-Attica Hoteliers Association announced last month that it has finally succeeded to obtain free space in front of the city’s hotels to facilitate the comfortable entrance and exit of tourists to and from taxis, buses, coaches and cars.

Drug dealing, public drug use, trafficking, muggings and clashes that involve illegal immigrants have degraded one end of the historic center of Athens-the Omonia Square area-to the extent that local hotel reservations in the area have been affected up to 40 percent, Athenian hoteliers recently told GTP.

The Margarona Royal Hotel, renowned as Preveza’s point of reference, recently underwent a seven million euro renovation and opened its doors to visitors as of this spring.

The new five-star Deluxe Royal Blue Resort & Spa recently opened its gates on Panormos, Crete, and promises an experience of ultimate relaxation in a luxurious environment.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts have launched a new website dedicated to the chain’s nine hotels in Greece.

The revenue of Athens-Attica hotels fell some 20 percent from last year’s January-May period as a result of a 16.6 percent drop in the average hotel occupancy rate and 5.1 percent in the average price per room, according to the latest study of GBR Consulting.