London hotels set to break Olympic records
Thursday, 26 July 2012 9:52 AM
Could this be most the popular Olympics ever?
London is set to break an Olympic record - for the most foreign guests staying in hotels during the Games.
In fact, 2012 Olympic Games may turn out to be the most popular ever held, with hotels in London reporting occupancy of more than 60,000 foreign guests per night during the Games. In comparison, Athens totalled only about 13,000 per night – three times less than the London 2012 Games.
This is despite hotel prices being at an all time high; during the Games prices are up an average of 70 per cent on the same time last year and reach a high of £193 on the night of Sunday 5 August, which is the night of the men’s 100m final.
However, half of the foreign visitors coming to London –such as the IOC, the corporate sponsors and the Press – are enjoying exceptionally inexpensive prices because London hotels committed to offer the “Olympic Family” hotel rooms at special rates.
The busiest night in the Capital so far during the Olympics is now Tuesday July 31st, which currently has a committed occupancy of 85.8 per cent, partly due to the men’s road cycling individual time trial final taking place the next day; it appears as though the ‘Wiggins effect’ is continuing into the Olympic Games.
Tom Jenkins Executive Director of the European Tour Operators Association, concluded: “In the context of Olympic tourism, London is set to deliver an outstanding performance. And there is still plenty of space: this is excellent news for last-minute visitors to London”.
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