European hoteliers brace for loss of American travelers
With the EU's ban and the U.K.'s mandatory quarantine on American travelers, many of Europe's hospitality players are bracing for the impact on hotel occupancy levels.
"The American is typically a great traveler for Europe, especially in July, August and September," said Kike Sarasola, founder and president of Spain-based Room Mate Hotels. "So, for us, this is a big, big problem. We're very worried."
The lion's share of Room Mate's 28-property portfolio is scattered across Europe, including in markets such as Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Florence, Rome, Milan and Amsterdam.
According to Jonathan Raggett, managing director of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, the U.K. government's decision to require U.S. travelers to self-isolate for 14 days has put a major damper on the company's outlook for its six London hotels. Red Carnation has resumed operations at only one of its London properties, the Rubens at the Palace.
"The U.S. is the most important market for us," Raggett said. "We decided to open just one hotel in London, and we're not even running double-digit occupancy there. Normally, in July, all of our London properties, which total around 600 rooms, would be running in excess of 90%."
