Athens hotels see income shrink
Athens hotels posted the worst occupancy rates among 10 popular cities across the continent in the first half of the year.
Data released on Thursday by the Athens-Attica Hoteliers? Association showed that the average occupancy rate of two-, three-, four- and five-star hotels in the capital declined by 18.6 percent compared with the first half of 2011, dropping to 52.8 percent.
The average price per room fell by 6.3 percent year-on-year, amounting to 82.2 euros, while the average revenues of hotels per available room declined by 23.7 percent to come to 43.4 euros.
?The improvement of public security conditions is necessary for tourism growth, particularly in Athens city center, but also generally in the capital,? said Tourism Minister Olga Kefaloyianni after her meeting with Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias. ?That can be achieved by making the immigration policy stricter so as to avert the entry of illegal immigrants to the country, and by increasing policing and checks where there is a bigger problem,? she added.
