And the return of the Christmas market without constraints in Alsace
. And therefore the great return of tourists from all over the world for this 2022 edition. Alsatian hotels are all almost full until December 31st. And the law of supply and demand obliges, the prices of hotel nights have also risen this year in the period.
“We paid €240 for one night for three in a small hotel in the city centre. We have rarely paid this much on a trip, but we matched, it was well located and I had holiday vouchers”says Mélanie who came from the Paris region with her parents. “Not surprising given the setting, the atmosphere, the popularity of the eventestimates Natacha, who paid 1200 euros for four nights for three. We’re from London so frankly it doesn’t seem huge to us, even if objectively it’s quite expensive.
15% more expensive than in 2019
“If you ski in the Alps, even the hotels are more expensive in February” justifies Véronique Siegel the president of UMIH 67 (Union of trades and industries of the hotel industry). He dismisses the idea of an exorbitant price increase and explains why the numbers are even higher this year than in 2019the last reference year, because without covid: “We are on an average increase of 15% but it is only to compensate for the increase in energy prices and wages. And then most hoteliers also have to repay the mortgage guaranteed by the state. Which represents 6.5% of the billed every month.”
As for the price increase over the period, “It’s the law of the market”justifies Yasmine, the reception manager of a hotel located five minutes from the city center. “There are no miracles in high season. The price per night is on average 30% higher over the period than the average price.”
And how are these prices determined? “It’s yield management, like for planes and trains. We do it day by day, depending on the competition. As a 3-star hotel, we can’t be more expensive than a four-star hotel for example, but our prices change according to the question. It is the law of the market.”
According to the UMIH, many hoteliers are betting a lot on this edition of the Christmas market, after a 2021 edition marked by a drop from 25 to 30% of the usual presences.
