Hotel market in Cluj is declining

In the first nine months of the year, the occupancy of hotels in Cluj dropped to 40%. According to the local hotel owners, the crisis in the sector has just began, the decreasing trend being expected to continue also in the first quarter of the next year, when the occupancy of local hotels might go down to 10-15%.

In Cluj, more than 90% of tourists’ number is represented by business clients.

The demand on events segment halved compared to last year. According to the estimates, the financial crisis will have an impact on the value of the local hotel market, dropping by 15-20% until the end of the year, down to approximately EUR 25 mil.

Last year, hotel owners from Cluj operated on a market worth EUR 30 mil.

Opera Plaza hotel, 5 star classified, reported an average occupancy of approximately 66% in the first nine months of the year, decreasing by 12% compared to the same period last year. The turnover of Opera Plaza dropped 10% in the specified period compared to January-September period in 2008.

Opera Plaza representatives estimate EUR 2.7 mil. turnover for the current year, declining 10% compared to the last year.

Transilvania Development company, managing City Plaza, 4 star hotel and City central, 3 star hotel, reported EUR 1.5 mil. turnover in the first nine months of the year, decreasing by 10% compared to the similar period last year. The average occupancy of the two hotels was 58%, 11% lower than compared to the same period last year.

Total sales of City Hotels exceeded EUR 1.6 mil. in the mentioned period, but Transilvania Development estimates EUR 2 mil. turnover for the current year, 13% lower than compared to 2008 when City Hotels reported EUR 2.3 mil. from sales. The company’s management forecasts an average occupancy for the two hotels of approximately 60% in 2009, dropping 14% compared to the last year, when it registered 74%.

Onix hotel reported an average occupancy of 55% in the first nine months of the year, decreasing by 40% compared to the same period last year, when it reported an average occupancy of 95%.

The management of AB Onix Hotel company, manager of Onix Hotel, estimates an average occupancy of 45-50% for the current year.

Sursa: Ziarul Financiar [12.11.2009]