Last week in the Bulletin, the Greek tourism minister was reported as saying that hotels are anticipating 100% occupancy this summer. There is no question that demand for holidays to Greece, Turkey and Egypt has soared this year and to such an extent that tour operators are said to no longer be offering holidays for a significant number of hotels.
Both Abta and its German counterpart, DRV, are verifying the high demand, which has been brought about by the comparative cheapness of holidays. This is less the case in Greece, but is certainly so in Egypt and Turkey. With no European Union regulations to concern themselves with, the governments of both countries are subsidising flights. In Turkey, the subsidies have been in existence since 2016, but they have been increased to up to 7,000 euros or more. In addition, the cost of hotel rooms is in the order of 25% lower than in the Balearics, for example. A package holiday can therefore work out in some instances to be 40% less than a Balearic equivalent.
The tour operators have been pushing holidays to Turkey and Egypt. The lower prices are one reason; the recouping of losses over the past couple of years is another. It is therefore hardly surprising that the sale of holiday packages to, for instance, Antalya, is reckoned to have risen by as much as 90% for certain parts of the season. The Turkish and Egyptian resorts are making comebacks from what were low numbers.
In Majorca, where hoteliers have been under pressure from tour operators to cut prices, the apparent virtual sell-out of holidays to rival destinations is leading the hoteliers to reconsider reductions. Tour operators will have to now push Majorca and Balearic holidays, especially in instances where they have contracted hotel places. For some holidays in the summer there are reduced prices because certain hoteliers accepted the recommendations of tour operators at the Berlin ITB fair in March. But overall, it would seem that the islands' hoteliers can anticipate another profitable season.