According to the city’s tourist board, Paris Je t’aime, an estimated 15 million people will visit Paris for the Olympics (start date 26 July) and the Paralympics (start date 28 August). Thankfully, there’s still plenty of hotel accommodation. The tourist board estimates that occupancy rates for commercial accommodation will hover between 56 and 76 per cent.
Eurostar alone expects to carry one million passengers between London and Paris, and will be running an additional service on each Friday and Sunday to meet the high demand during the Games and summer holiday season.
Victoria Enoux, brand manager of Paris-based Orso Hotels, says bookings have been steady, rather than sudden. “We’ve noticed bookings picking up, albeit at a steady pace,” says Enoux. “While we’re not currently fully booked, we’re optimistic about reaching capacity.”
Freddie Marquis, director at The Luxury Travel Book, says it’s not just bookings which have increased. “Apartments which typically rent for €7,000 per week are charging €70,000 for an Olympics package.”
However, clients who book later stand to bag a bargain. “I doubt hotels will be fully booked unless they decrease prices,” says Solene Colas, a Paris-based tour guide and founder of ajourneyinparis.com. “I expect a decrease in prices into May and June.”
Oliver Bell, co-founder of Oliver’s Travels, agrees. “We still have availability in our Paris apartments. Owners expected a pre-Olympics surge which hasn’t materialised.”
CitizenM commercial director Bob Engeringh is optimistic, and expects full capacity for the Olympics. “We received our first group booking in 2020. All of our Paris locations are tracking towards high occupancy, and we expect this to increase in the lead-up – particularly with regards to city centre locations such as CitizenM Paris Opera.”