NO VACANCY: Paris Couture Week and Euro 2016 are set to lift Paris’ hoteliers’ spirits, in the grim climate for tourism following the Paris and Brussels attacks.
Paris Couture Week, slated from July 3 to 7, is to coincide with the UEFA soccer tournament, which is to run for its part from June 10 to July 10. The quarterfinals match set for July 3 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis outside Paris is to fall on kickoff day of Couture Week.
“We’re typically already at the highest level of occupancy during fashion week,” a spokeswoman for the Plaza Athénée said, expecting an even busier week this season due to Euro championship factor, based on the early feedback of the hotel’s booking department. Spokeswomen for the Royal Monceau and the Bristol Paris echoed the sentiment. (July 10, the day of the final match, is unavailable on the booking section of the Bristol Paris’ Web site.)
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The Ritz Paris is still cornering its reopening date — initially planned on March 14 — following a fire that broke out on the top floor of the hotel on Jan. 19. June 1 is the first date when guests can start booking on the hotel’s Web site, with prices for a room starting $1,825. Reservations for July 3, 4 and 5 — the first three days of Paris Couture Week — are unavailable on the hotel’s booking Web page. Prices for a room on July 6 start at $3,307. Reservations for July 9 and 10 are also unavailable.
Last year, occupancy rates in Paris intra muros during Couture Week on July 6, 7 and 8 were respectively 95.3, 97.6 and 95.2 percent, according to the HotelCompSet database. UEFA officials expect the event to draw a total of 2.5 million visitors, including 1.5 million international visitors.
While there’s no denying such events will be a breath of oxygen for Paris’ hoteliers, they won’t offset the negative impact of the recent terror attacks, according to Thomas Deschamps, statistics research manager of the Paris tourist and convention office.
“Brussels attacks severely hurt,” said Deschamps. “Before Brussels attacks, flight bookings to Paris from April 14 until the end of August 2016 were to see a drop of 8 percent compared to 2015; they’re now down 22 percent.” Deschamps also predicted an “eviction effect” of the tournament. “High rates are likely to dissuade some to visit at the highest period.”