Athens's hotel sector posted the strongest performance among nine major European competitor destinations in the first half of 2026, with room rates rising sharply even as occupancy remained essentially unchanged, according to data released by the Athens-Attica and Argosaronic Hotel Association (EXA).
Average occupancy dipped just 0.1% compared with 2025, while the average daily rate rose 6.9% and revenue per available room (RevPAR) climbed 6.8%, outperforming destinations including London, Berlin, Rome, Amsterdam and Istanbul, according to data from CoStar in partnership with GBR Consulting.
EXA President Evgenios Vasilikos said the results, particularly a slight occupancy dip in May and June, reflected the city's resilience in a market facing increased hotel supply and shifting international travel patterns.
"The ADR and RevPAR indicators continued to trend upward, indicating that the destination retains its momentum and competitiveness as a quality urban destination," he said.
Mr. Vasilikos noted a growing trend toward last-minute bookings among EXA's member hotels compared with previous years, a shift he said complicates forecasting and limits visibility into demand for coming months.
He cautioned that the full tourist season must be evaluated once complete before drawing definitive conclusions.
"Our goal remains maintaining competitiveness through quality-driven growth, infrastructure investment and targeted destination marketing," Mr. Vasilikos said, adding that the association continues monitoring member feedback closely amid the shifting demand patterns.