Euro96 brings hoteliersa month of prosperity
The Euro96 football championship in June was a resounding success for the hospitality industry, say hoteliers who put up the fans.
A research report into the effects of Euro96 on the industry, to be launched later this month by Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group, will reveal hoteliers overwhelmingly reported increased occupancy and profits as a result of the tournament.
"Time and again hoteliers said Euro96 was excellent for them," said Nick Pattie, managing consultant at Deloitte & Touche. "Despite worries before the tournament about drunkenness and vandalism, the comments we have received show the fans were well behaved and hoteliers would like the UK to stage similar events again."
Deloitte & Touche's figures will show hotels in provincial cities enjoyed occupancy up nine percentage points in June, compared with the same month a year before. Average occupancy was 74%, compared with 65% in June 1995. Room sales directly attributable to Euro96 accounted for 26% of all occupancy in provincial city hotels during June. The most noticeable impact on occupancy was in Manchester, the host venue for the German team, where 40% of bookings came from football fans.
Room rates for provincial city hotels leapt by £10.37, from £46.88 in June 1995 to £57.26 in June 1996.
In London the effects of the championships were less marked, the study will show, although the capital's hotels also benefited. Occupancy rose by two percentage points, from 87% in June 1995 to 89% in June 1996, with hoteliers claiming football supporters accounted for 5% of all occupancy.
- See next week's issue for a report on the hotels where the players stayed.
