International travel interest in Athens continues in October.
Indicative is the fact –based on INSETE data- that from 11 to 17 October, there are 164,894 airline seats in flights from 29 countries bound for Athens have been booked. Germany tops the ranking with 21,447 seats, followed by the UK with 17,484, the US with 13,218, Italy with 12,790, France with 12,067 and Cyprus with 11,818.
At the same time, Trivago’s search engine data for October show that Athens hoteliers have reduced their online rates compared to the previous month. Specifically, the average online price per night in a double room in Athenian hotels in October amounts to 104 euros compared to 114 euros in September, 113 euros in August and 108 euros in July.
The highest hotel prices in Europe this month were recorded in Zurich (209 euros), Reykjavik and London (180 euros), and Paris (179 euros), while the lowest prices were recorded in Moscow (63 euros per night), Istanbul (68 euros) and Warsaw (70 euros). In other cities of high travel interest, online prices in October range from €113 in Berlin, €126 in Rome, €128 in Vienna and Lisbon, €135 in Barcelona to €144 in Madrid.
New hotel investments
Moreover, new business plans are added to the already known investments for the construction of hotels in Athens.
Specifically, a study for the construction of a 9-storey hotel with a capacity of up to 100 beds, owned by Mr Elias Bousios and Mr Michael Dovas, located in Metaxourgeio (28, Agiou Pavlou Street), has been approved by the responsible department of the Ministry of Culture. The decision also provides for the preservation and display of antiquities discovered during a rescue excavation within the site. Under the decision, the maintenance of archaeological remains, where deemed necessary by the competent Ephorate, will precede the excavation work, while a sign will be constructed to inform and mark the antiquities with the Ephorate’s instructions and the owner’s financial burden.
Another permit was granted to the company MPOEM HOSTEL IKE for internal arrangements in a listed building and its conversion into a hotel – a youth hostel located at 4, Favierou Street. Also, a permit was granted to the company GIAHOUDOUDIS TOURIST ENTERPRISES LTD. IKE for the conversion of an office building into a building of rental apartments, located at 5, Artemis Street and Pittaki Street.
At the same time, the Ministry of Development and Investments approved the inclusion of the investment plan of the start-up company ELASTIK HOTEL S.A. in the Development Law. This investment plan concerns the establishment of a 3-star hotel with a capacity of 300 rooms and 603 beds at the junction of 28th October and Marni streets in Athens, at a total cost of EUR 28.1 million.
However, among the latest permits granted for new hotels in Greece, one case in Thessaloniki stands out. The permit was granted to HOTEL LOUISA S.A. for the construction of a 9-storey hotel with a ground floor shop at 9, Leontos Sofou Street in the city centre.
