Lisbon’s hotel occupancy rate during World Youth Day (WYD) was 77%, “well below” the 91% estimated in June, according to a survey by the Portuguese Hotel Association (AHP) published this Wednesday.
“The occupancy rate was well below expectations,” said AHP Executive Chairman Cristina Siza Vieiraat the press presentation of the survey “World Youth Day 2023 – Impact on Hospitality”, which took place online.
According to the survey, which took place between September 4 and 18 and included responses from 152 hotels and local accommodation companies linked to the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML), the occupancy rate during the WYD week was 77% in Lisbon and 85% in AML.
At the beginning of June, also according to an AHP survey, and well before the event that took place between July 31 and August 6, AML hoteliers estimated that the occupancy rate could reach 89%, while in the city of Lisbon it was expected that this percentage would reach the WYD week would reach 91%.
The average price charged in hotels that week also fell short of expectations from the June survey, at 221 euros in the city of Lisbon (compared to the expected 225 euros) and 196 euros in AML (compared to the expected 219 euros). euros).
However, the average price charged during the week of the event was higher than the total for the month of August (196 euros in Lisbon, compared to 175 euros in August 2022; 183 euros in AML, compared to 166 euros in August 2022).
In terms of reservations for WYD participants during the week in question, 56% of AML respondents (excluding Lisbon) said they had received guests coming to participate in the event, less than the 67% of respondents from the city of Lisbon who responded in the same way form.
The average stay during that week was three to five nights, higher than what is usually recorded in the region (one to three).
Regarding the impact of the biggest event of the Catholic religion in the Lisbon region, 56% of AML respondents expressed a positive opinion and 16% admitted a negative opinion.
In the city of Lisbon, 44% of respondents said they had a positive opinion about the impact of the event on the region, while 37% expressed a negative opinion, i.e. more than double what was indicated in the AML.
Source: DN
