Athens Hoteliers: House rentals slash hotel occupancy in Greek capital

Athens-Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association (AHA) announced that Athens hotels have been seeing their occupancy numbers deteriorating from last fall till February 2016.

According to their data, a steady decrease is evident all throughout the autumn of 2015, by 3.8 percent in September, 6.1 percent in October and 4.6 percent in November, with February showing a 1.2 percent fall.

The hoteliers compared these findings with the rising arrival figures from Athens International Airport and concluded that the decline is due to visitors switching to private rentals, such as those offered by Airbnb, from recognized hotels.

As their research clearly demonstrates, from 2014 onwards, the rift between international arrivals at Athens Airport and Athens hotels occupancy widened, and since September 2015, it has achieved rather alarming proportions.

They, therefore, decided to join their colleagues across Greece in voicing their opposition against the Greek government's recent decision to legalize p2p accommodation services, labelling it as "unfair competition" since the legal framework pertaining to these vacation rentals is ambiguous.

Consequently, they urged the authorities to revamp this decision and impose a new legal, institutional and fiscal framework that does not facilitate uneven market conditions, at the expense of the legitimate and licensed sector, thus safeguarding state revenues, employment and customers' safety.

Koukaki in Airbnb list with 800% growth

The success of the private rentals sector in Athens is also confirmed by Airbnb's data showing that central Koukaki neighbourhood is among the platform's "16 neighbourhoods to travel to in 2016".

The firm analysed the travel patterns of more than 40 million guests in 2015 and selected neighbourhoods in cities that have gained momentum in the past year.

Areas in Asian countries came top of the list, led by Chuo-ku in Osaka, Japan, known for its historic castle and street food.

More adventurous guests
The research also found that Airbnb guests are among the more adventurous in the travel sphere.

"Not only does this boost business to local coffee shops and small businesses that haven't benefitted from tourism in the past, it also helps people to experience cities through a true local lens," said Chip Conley, head of hospitality at Airbnb.

"When an Airbnb traveler heads to Hammerbrook in Hamburg or Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, with the help of hosts, they are able to see these places through eyes of a local, and embrace the culture in a completely new way."

The "16 Neighbourhoods to Visit in 2016":

• Chūō-ku in Osaka, Japan - 7000% Growth
• Banglampoo in Bangkok, Thailand - 1230% Growth
• Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - 1200% Growth
• Capucins in Bordeaux, France - 960% Growth
• Koukaki in Athens, Greece - 800% growth
• Triana in Seville, Spain - 770% growth
• Hammerbrook in Hamburg, Germany - 415% growth
• Kaneohe on Oahu, US - 320% Growth
• Meireles in Fortaleza, Brazil - 285% Growth
• Roma Sur in Mexico City, Mexico - 275% Growth
• Oak Lawn in Dallas, US - 260% Growth
• Poncey-Highland in Atlanta, GA - 240% Growth
• District VII in Budapest, Hungary - 145% Growth
• The Bukit Peninsula, Bali - 130% growth
• Richmond in Melbourne, Australia - 126% Growth
• Constitución in Buenos Aires, Argentina - 125% growth

Airbnb analysed the travel to local communities that took place over 2015, across regions, countries, metros, and down to neighbourhoods.

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