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Travelers from the United Kingdom who are attending the Olympic Games in Paris this summer are likely to take advantage of discounted hotel prices.
The 33rd contemporary Olympics commence in the French city on July 26, 2024, and end on August 11. Although hotel prices have risen leading up to the event, The Independent has discovered that approximately one-third of hotel rooms in the city are anticipated to remain unoccupied during the Olympics.
According to a recent interview with Corinne Menegaux, the head of tourism, it is anticipated that the occupancy rate will range from 60 to 70 percent.
According to the French official statistics agency, Insee, Paris hotels averaged 90.7 per cent occupancy in July 2023.
In a standard 300-room hotel, this would equate to an average of 28 unoccupied rooms per night. However, during the 2024 Olympics, there may potentially be up to 120 rooms that remain unsold.
According to Ms. Menegaux, the head of Paris je t’aime, the city’s tourist bureau, the majority of visitors during the Olympics will likely be from the local and national areas.
The Ile de France is home to over 12 million residents, including the capital and surrounding area. Furthermore, it is possible to take day trips from other cities like Lyon, Strasbourg, and Bordeaux via high-speed trains that only take approximately two hours each way. This decreases the need for hotels in Paris.
Ms Menegaux stated that prices for hotels have slightly increased during the two-week period of the Olympics, but she believes the increase is reasonable. She noted that this was not the case initially, but now the prices are affordable.
She suggested going to the city during the Games, stating, “It’s always a special chance to participate, so being present is crucial.”
The director-general for tourism in the Paris Region, Christophe Decloux, stated that they have 160,000 available rooms, which exceeds the number London had in 2012. As a result, they are well-equipped to accommodate all visitors.
“We can draw a parallel to the situation in London during the 2012 Olympics, where hotel rates were initially high and had to be lowered.”
He stated that the occupancy rates improved once the prices aligned with the customer’s actual demand.
According to The Independent’s study of past Olympic Games, host cities often face a decline in tourism during the Games.
Prior to the 2012 London event, the former mayor, Boris Johnson, cautioned about an anticipated surge of “a million additional daily visitors” and expressed concern about the strain it would put on the road and public transportation systems. However, the outcome was quite the opposite, as the city experienced a significant decrease in tourists, resulting in London being described as a “ghost town” without its usual influx of visitors.
Furthermore, Heathrow airport had forecasted that for three consecutive days leading up to and following the Olympics, all seats on all flights departing from and arriving at Heathrow would be occupied. This was a groundbreaking occurrence in global air travel.
In July 2012, the UK’s busiest airport experienced a decrease of 4.4% in traffic compared to the previous year.
According to hotel market analyst Lighthouse, the average cost for a hotel room in Paris during the Games was €574 (£498) for stays. On the opening night, five-star properties reached a peak of €1,561 (£1,330).
According to Lighthouse’s spokesperson, Paris is currently experiencing an average of 120% higher night rates across all star ratings compared to the same time in 2023.
Hotel owners in the city are continuing to maintain high prices, assuming that there will be a rush of visitors making bookings in the near future.
For instance, at the New Hotel St-Lazare, a double room is being sold for €213 (£182) on the first night of the Games. However, if booked a month in advance, the price for the same room is only €102 (£87).
Unfortunately, the four-star Hotel Mademoiselle, which has 53 rooms and is conveniently located near both Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est, is fully booked for every night of the Games. However, there is a possibility that it may be the only hotel with no vacancies.
The French authorities were in conversation with The Independent at Spot 24, a newly established place for cultural activities during the Games. This exhibition center and tourism office, located near the Seine River and in close proximity to the Eiffel Tower, will be available for visitors during the upcoming spring and summer seasons.
Ms Menegaux stated that tourism in Paris remains unaffected leading up to the Olympics. “The city is operating as usual and all attractions are open. This is a great chance to experience Paris from a different perspective as we are putting in a lot of effort to prepare for the Games.”
Source: independent.co.uk
