World Cup fever boosts German hotels in May

World Cup fever helped the German hotel sector outclass its European rivals during May, according to a new report from market analyst The Bench.

Building momentum ahead of the month-long competition, average revenue per available room (revpar) leapt 35.8% year-on-year in May to €75.64 (£52.22) at German hotels.

This compared with an average revpar increase of 16.3% across Western Europe to €95.94 (£62.23) in the period.

Germany occupancy was 18.1 percentage points higher at 73.6% in May, and average rates were up 15% at €102.79 (£70.97).

Jamie Chappell, managing director of The Bench, said: "May has been a good month for European hotels. Germany is responsible for much of this as things started to gear up for the World Cup in June."

Chappell added that June and July looked like they would be strong months, but the threat of interest rate increases could adversely affect August trading.

Among the cities included in the report, Frankfurt achieved the highest revpar growth in May up 57.6% at €85.86 (£59.28) over the same period last year. Brussels was second with revpar 44.9% higher at €91.25 (£63).

German hoteliers face World Cup anticlimax >>

German hotels get dressed up for World Cup >>

German hoteliers forced to slash prices after FIFA councils bookings >>

By Matthew Batham

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week -