Paris hotels are reportedly experiencing significant drop in occupancy levels after the terror attacks of November 13. According to latest figures released by hotel data specialists STR Global, the occupancy rates across the city crashed by almost 40 percent since the tragic event, compared to the levels in the same period in 2014.

It said, on the day of the attack, the occupancy was up 7.5 percent vis a vis the same day on 2014. But a day later, the occupancy rate fell to 12.7 percent and was a free fall in consecutive weeks like the following negative progreesion: -22.7 percent, -26.1 percent, -29.8 percent, -32.6 percent, -31.2 percent, -33.6 percent and -39.2 percent, Buying Business Travel reported.

There was slight recovery in the final days of November and early December, thanks to the United Nations Climate Change summit. The Paris terror attack left 130 people dead including 89 at the Bataclan theatre.

STRG Global compiled data after taking samples from more than 46,000 hotels representing 5.3 million rooms globally. However, the data was in contrast with the claims made by GBTA study that majority of European travel buyers are “largely unaffected” by the impact of Paris attacks.

Families staying away

In the week following the attacks, the number of flight cancellations rose to 21 percent, new bookings fell 27 percent compared to the year before, said research analysts ForwardKeys, reports CNBC.

"Families are staying away and those who are visiting are staying for fewer nights," said Cecile Danielo, regional head of contracting for JacTravel. However, the JacTravel official said the situation is slowly improving as hotels are offering a range of promotions to attract customers, such as room upgrades and discounts up to 30 percent on short stays.

"There is so much support for Paris from around the world and Parisian hoteliers are taking that on board to remain optimistic," Cecile concluded.

Expensive London

Meanwhile, London has become the most expensive city in Europe to book a hotel room, according to data from online travel agent HRS.

The study compared average room rates in the third quarter of 2015 with the same period in 2014 and found that in the band of price 140 pounds (AU$290) in one to five-star hotels, London hotels were costing 15 pounds (AU$31) more than the second most expensive European capital of Zurich.

“In Cardiff, major sporting events such as the Rugby World Cup and The Ashes which took place during Q3 2015, will have contributed to the room rate increases as hoteliers capitalise on the surge in demand from visitors,” reasoned Jon West, managing director of HRS for the UK and Ireland.

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