With the festive season behind us, the director of Monaco’s tourism board, Guy Antognelli, has shared a very positive assessment of the hotel industry and how it fared during the holidays.
Announcing higher than average hotel occupancy rates for the entire month of December, Antognelli has reported that around 50% of the Principality’s hotel rooms were taken during the week of Christmas. Even better were the remarkable figures for New Year’s Eve, which saw hotel occupancy rates rise to an impressive 90% and “surpass all expectations”.
The primary visitors to Monaco’s hotels and restaurants during this period were the French and Italians, who comprised nearly half of the total clientele, a significant increase on the numbers recorded for 2019 and 2022.
There was also a surge in American tourists, following on from a trend observed since the start of 2023.
Antognelli lay the success of the season at the feet of the atmosphere in the Principality during the festive period, saying, “Monaco comes alive during the holidays and offers an exceptional experience [to visitors]”. He also noted that “extremely positive feedback” had been shared with the Direction du Tourisme et des Congrès de Monaco regarding the decorations in the Place du Casino and elsewhere in the Principality, as well as on attractions such as the Christmas Village.
Predictions for 2024
Looking ahead to 2024, Antognelli said that expectations within the tourism sector are optimistic. He anticipates a strong return of Italian tourists, a resurgence of British visitors “despite economic challenges and Brexit”, and a steady presence of American travellers. Additionally, a significant recovery in business tourism is expected, which Antognelli said he hoped would exceed “pre-pandemic levels”.
However, Antognelli also stated that the focus is not on increasing the number of visitors, but on continuing to provide a quality over quantity experience for tourists in Monaco.
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Photo credit: Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer