Athens Hotels | Negative performance in July - The Association of Hoteliers speaks of "dangerous stagnation"

The performance of Athens hotels for July 2025 recorded a negative sign, while the seven months of the year moved at approximately the same levels as the corresponding period in 2024, according to data published by the Association of Hoteliers of Athens, Attica and Argosaronic.

Losses in the "heart" of summer

July 2025 confirmed the concerns of the industry, as the average occupancy rate fell to 83.3%, compared to 86.4% last year (a drop of -3.6%), while the revenue per available room (RevPAR) stood at 173.19 euros, from 177.64 euros in July 2024 (-2.5%).

On the contrary, the average room rate (ADR) remained almost unchanged, at 207.85 euros (+1.1%).

Compared to July 2023, the decrease in occupancy is even greater (–5.7%).

Stabilization in the 7-month period

Despite the negative picture of the summer, the seven-month period January – July 2025 closed without major changes:

• Average occupancy: 75.8% (+0.4%).
• ADR: 176.18 euros (+1.6%).
• RevPAR: 133.49 euros (+2%).

The positive picture of the first quarter helped to maintain the figures at the same levels, however, 3-star hotels remain particularly pressured, where occupancy rates have been recording a continuous decline since March.

Athens and its competitors

According to the Hoteliers Association, Athens is performing better than Istanbul, but still lags behind Barcelona, ​​Madrid and Rome.

In ADR, the increase for Athens was +1.6%, when Madrid recorded +4.9%, Rome +3% and Barcelona +2.4%, while Istanbul showed a decrease of –1.9%.

In RevPAR, Athens fell by –2%, while Madrid recorded +4.8%, Barcelona +1.3% and Rome +2%.

Concerns about “dangerous stagnation”

Hoteliers speak of “dangerous stagnation” in Athens’ tourism, which, as they emphasize, is now reflected both in the statistics and in the daily experience of professionals.

The Association calls on the State and Local Government to take timely action with measures and strategies that will enhance competitiveness, upgrade infrastructure and improve the tourist experience, while taking advantage of the new air connections that have already been announced.

Expectations from the TIF

Special reference is made to the announcements expected at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Hoteliers express the hope that there will be no new financial burdens, as happened in 2024 with the increase in the resilience fee and the temporary resident fee.

On the contrary, they call for initiatives that will boost the sector, strengthen resilience and reposition Greek tourism in a highly competitive international market.

In detail, the ESA points out:

"... The data reflect and confirm the feeling that most people - people in the tourism industry and citizens - have of a "dangerous stagnation" in the tourism performance of Athens and the country in general.

We call on the State and the Local Government to take into account the "messages" of professionals in the sector and to orient themselves in a timely manner towards measures, strategies, decisions, actions and goals that will strengthen the competitiveness of the tourism product, improve public infrastructure, upgrade the tourism experience and proposal for 2026 and strengthen our relationship with traditional markets but also with new ones, as there are already signs of interest in Athens - with the new flights that have been announced.

We await with particular interest this year's announcements by the Prime Minister to the International Conference of Tourists, hoping that "unpleasant surprises" will not be repeated for the hotel similar to those of 2024 (see issues related to increase in the end of resilience, increase in the end of temporary residents, etc.).

On the contrary, we expect announcements that will give impetus, strengthen resilience and competitiveness and contribute to the repositioning of Greek tourism - a sector that, as is known, must pioneer, constantly renewing its proposal to international markets"