Athens’ hotel sector, a crucial pillar of Greece’s burgeoning tourism industry, recorded a robust start to 2026, with encouraging increases in occupancy and revenue during the first quarter. However, data released by the Athens-Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association reveals a concerning deceleration in growth during March, prompting a renewed call for strategic long-term planning and infrastructure development to safeguard the city’s tourism future.
A Mixed Bag: Strong Start, Faltering Momentum
The January-March period saw average occupancy rates rise by 2.4 percent year-on-year, while the average daily rate (ADR) increased by 2 percent. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) demonstrated a stronger gain of 4.5 percent. When compared to 2024, the performance is even more striking, with occupancy up 7.8 percent and RevPAR surging by 18.3 percent. These figures paint a picture of a sector largely recovering and expanding. Yet, the devil, as always, is in the details.
Despite the overall positive trend, March introduced a note of caution. The growth rate observed in January and February did not sustain its intensity, with key indicators showing weaker performance. In some hotel categories, results were flat or even negative, suggesting a fragility beneath the surface of the quarterly averages.
Eugenios Vassilikos, President of the Athens-Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association, acknowledged the
