28 January 2010

Hotel confidence Ã¢â¬Åâœcoming backÃ¢â¬~

Almost half of hotels are approaching 2010 with "cautious optimism" following the economic downturn, according to a new study.

More than 46% of 2,000 hoteliers who responded to a poll by online booking service hotel.info expect a "moderate, albeit slow" recovery.

Around a quarter (24.44%) are more optimistic in their outlook, and believe they will be doing significantly more business very soon and will be operating at higher capacity.

But just six per cent anticipate a rise in hotel rates this year.

Only 16% of the hotels in the poll see no material improvement in 2010 compared with the fourth quarter of 2009.

Around seven per cent of hotel companies admitted to "uncertainty" and felt unable to provide an assessment.

"Only Spanish hotel operators, a country that has been particularly badly hit, have a more reserved view of the immediate future than their European counterparts," hotel.info said.

"The percentage of hotels that expect a tangible recovery before long is lower here (15.28%). Indeed, a considerable majority (55.56%) even believe the recovery will be slower.

"Taking into account the number of hotel operators who believe in a recovery of any sort - be it slow or fast - Italian hoteliers seem to be most positive (76.59%) about the prospects for 2010.

"The comparable average figure for Europe as a whole is 70.52%."

by Phil Davies