The higher prices compared to previous years will welcome their customers Christmas days the hotels her of Athens, however, the excessively increased operating costs mainly due to the energy crisis which burdens their crisis. At the same time, they are still among the cheapest in Europe, while the average price increase they recorded compared to December 2021 is the second lowest.

THE tourist attraction “Athens” on Christmas days will however experience something of the glow of the holidays due to the pandemic, as it does not attract many citizens, from the Greek region after so many problems created in the previous two years of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Read also: Larissa: Significant upward trend in hotel bookings ahead of Christmas

As pointed out to ot.gr by the general secretary of the Hoteliers’ Union of Athens Attica Argosaronikos, Mr. Evgenios Vassilikos, although it is a bit early, the first messages coming in are that the Greeks from the region “issue” in Athens for the days of the holidays such as they traditionally did the pro-pandemic years.

However, we see that traffic is currently limited to weekends, while it must also be emphasized that it mainly concerns the hotels of the Center of Athens, adds Mr. Vassilikos who does not forget to emphasize that the one that worries hoteliers is the increased operational cost and the days after the holidays as the landscape in relation to conference tourism has not yet been clarified. In addition to some large ones, some small and medium conferences have been announced but we have not yet heard of participations, says Mr. Vassilikos.

The price increases in Athens and other cities

However, according to the trivago Hotel Price Index December is a good month in terms of prices for Athenian hotels as the average price is 113 euros compared to 95 last year which represents an increase of 18.94%. An increase that falls short of the hotel units of other European cities.

Only Madrid with an average price increase of 14.47% moves at lower levels than Athens. However, the average price of a room in Madrid is 174 euros.

Also, the other capitals register much higher prices compared to Athens, which is the second cheapest in Europe, with Warsaw “leading” with 100 euros in average price. However, compared to December 2021, it registers a 42% increase.

Istanbul is immediately higher than Athens and also records an impressive price increase compared to last year by 64% to 125 euros this year from 76 last year in December.

Lisbon shows an increase compared to December 2021 by 26.4% to 158 euros from 124 euros last year.

In Rome, the favorite destination of the Greeks, the average price is 162 euros compared to 123 euros last year (an increase of 31.7%), while in Barcelona the average price “jumped” from 129 euros to 155 euros (20.15%)

Perhaps the most classic Christmas destination, London, averaged €279 compared to €196 last year, a rise of 42.34%, while Paris recorded a smaller average price increase of just 31% to €245 from €187. in December 2021. Finally Christmas Vienna will welcome tourists with an average price of 190 euros compared to 149 euros last year (27.5% increase)