By A. Tsimplakis
The association representing the greater Athens area’s hotels has again cried “foul” over what it charges is the booming phenomenon of Airbnb-style short-term leasings of private residences.
The head of the association, speaking at the group’s (EXAAA) general assembly on Thursday, cited what he called a very small difference between the rise in international air arrivals to Athens and commensurate hotel capacity as pointing to an increasing share of overnight stays in the Greek capital being shifted to leased-out private residences and suites.
Association president Alexandros Vassilikos said figures between January and August 2018 show an increase in hotel vacancy of 2.2 percent (compared to the corresponding period of 2017), and with the average room price also increased over the same eight-month period by 8.5 percent.
However, he pointed to a drop in hotel vacancy over the peak summer months – June, July and August, by 0.2, 1.4 and 0.5 percent, respectively – as well as a noteworthy divergence between tourists arrivals and hotel vacancy as leading to the association’s assumption.
Specifically, air passenger arrivals in July 2018 increased by 21.8 percent from the corresponding month of 2017, whereas hotel vacancy in the greater Athens area increased by only 3.6 percent in the same month.
