Hotels reopening for business
Better than expected tourist traffic in August and hopes for at least as good a month in September are leading large hotel groups to open some of the properties they had kept shuttered until now.
There are several factors that have led to the openings: Cancellations of reservations made before the pandemic are significantly fewer than expected; the gradual opening up of the UK and soon Israel; and new reservations appearing, even though these are at low levels compared to last year.
These developments are welcome news for a sector whose sales so far are 70-75% below what they were at the same point in 2019.
Mitsis Hotels has announced the reopening of three more hotels, which will raise its total number of operating units to eight, out of a total of 17. The hotel chain is mulling the reopening of three more hotels by the end of August.
Thus, to the already operating Rinela on Crete, Alila (Rhodes), Blue Dome (Kos), Galini (Kamena Vourla) and Sofitel Athens Airport, the Rodos Maris Resort & Spa on Rhodes and the Norida Beach Hotel (Kos) will be added on Thursday, and the Laguna Resort & Spa on Crete will open August 22.
The group’s CEO, Stavros Mitsis, notes that domestic and international travelers trust the hotels because of their operational readiness, the strict application of hygiene protocols, the detailed training of staff and the emphasis on guests’ health.
The Vantarakis Group, owner of the Anemos Luxury Grand Resort, Mythos Palace Resort and Eliros Mare Hotel on Crete, has also opened the new, 5-star Pepper Sea Club Hotel. Other groups, which had kept some of their properties shuttered in expectation of a plunge in business, are also thinking of reopening some.
First-half results have some operators optimistic that the worst scenario of a 90% drop in sales can be avoided. International hotel chain Accor, which is active in Greece, announced its first-half global results yesterday and found that revenue per available room was down 59.3%. Total revenue came to €917 million, down 59.3% compared to the first half of 2019.
