UEFA Euro 2016: Hotel prices, alternative accommodation and travel interest

LONDON - Hotel search website trivago.co.uk has analysed travel trends related to Euro 2016. Company's data compares the average hotel price of each match day to the price during the same period last year, demonstrating increases of up to 471 per cent. In order to help travellers who have yet to book accommodation, we’ve put together a list of ten alternative towns – all within two hours’ drive of their respective stadium and with savings of up to 298 per cent. Finally, we’ve looked at travel interest to each match, highlighting the most interested nationalities, the most popular matches and even which country is most confident for the final.

Average hotel price per match

Date	Match	Host City	Average Price	Average Price 2015*	Percentage Increase
10 June	France vs Romania	Saint-Denis	£240	£102	135%
11 June	Albania vs Switzerland	Lens	£176	£49	258%
11 June	Wales vs Slovakia	Bordeaux	£236	£105	125%
11 June	England vs Russia	Marseille	£248	£82	202%
12 June	Poland vs Northern Ireland	Nice	£236	£110	115%
12 June	Germany vs Ukraine	Lille	£369	£77	378%
12 June	Turkey vs Croatia	Paris	£210	£163	29%
13 June	Spain vs Czech Republic	Toulouse	£173	£69	152%
13 June	Ireland vs Sweden	Saint-Denis	£224	£102	120%
13 June	Belgium vs Italy	Lyon	£336	£81	314%
14 June	Austria vs Hungary	Bordeaux	£245	£105	134%
14 June	Portugal vs Iceland	Saint-Étienne	£159	£48	233%
15 June	Romania vs Switzerland	Paris	£221	£163	35%
15 June	France vs Albania	Marseille	£215	£82	162%
15 June	Russia vs Slovakia	Lille	£401	£77	420%
16 June	England vs Wales	Lens	£159	£49	224%
16 June	Ukraine vs Northern Ireland	Lyon	£254	£81	212%
16 June	Germany vs Poland	Saint-Denis	£220	£102	115%
17 June	Czech Republic vs Croatia	Saint-Étienne	£159	£48	233%
17 June	Spain vs Turkey	Nice	£232	£110	112%
17 June	Italy vs Sweden	Toulouse	£187	£69	172%
18 June	Belgium vs Ireland	Bordeaux	£246	£105	135%
18 June	Iceland vs Hungary	Marseille	£221	£82	169%
18 June	Portugal vs Austria	Paris	£206	£163	26%
19 June	Switzerland vs France	Lille	£313	£77	307%
19 June	Romania vs Albania	Lyon	£232	£81	185%
20 June	Slovakia vs England	Saint-Étienne	£173	£48	261%
20 June	Russia vs Wales	Toulouse	£193	£69	181%
21 June	Northern Ireland vs Germany	Paris	£213	£163	31%
21 June	Ukraine vs Poland	Marseille	£213	£82	159%
21 June	Croatia vs Spain	Bordeaux	£235	£105	125%
21 June	Czech Republic vs Turkey	Lens	£182	£49	271%
22 June	Sweden vs Belgium	Nice	£230	£110	110%
22 June	Italy vs Ireland	Lille	£440	£77	471%
22 June	Iceland vs Austria	Saint-Denis	£219	£102	114%
22 June	Hungary vs Portugal	Lyon	£232	£81	186%
		Average:	£235	£91	184%

*Average price per night from 10th – 22nd June 2015.

The most expensive city for a hotel stay during the Euro 2016 is Lille, where prices have increased by up to 471 per cent. The most expensive night is 22 June, when fans will pay an average of £440 (compared to £77 in 2015) for accommodation following the Ireland versus Italy match. The second and third most expensive matches are also in Lille (15 June, Russia versus Slovakia, up 420 per cent to £401; 12 June, Germany versus Ukraine, up 378 per cent to £369). Following Lille, Lyon is the second most expensive city, with prices peaking at an average of £336 for Belgium versus Italy on 13 June, which is a 314 per cent increase on 2015’s average of £81.

Although Lens and Saint-Etienne are the cheapest host towns for a hotel stay, they have the largest hotel price increases after Lille and Lyon. This is due to their low average hotel price of £49 and £48 during the same period in 2015. For example, prices are up by 271 per cent to £182 for Czech Republic versus Turkey on 21 June in Lens, and by 261 per cent to £173 for England versus Slovakia on 20 June in Saint-Etienne. The two cheapest matches for accommodation are hosted in Saint-Etienne: Portugal versus Iceland on 14 June and Czech Republic versus Croatia on 17 June, both at an average of £159 per night.

Alternative places to stay
With hotel prices high and availability low in each of the host cities, we’ve selected ten alternative places to stay – each within 2 hour’s drive of the respective stadium, and some as close as 15 minutes away. The most significant savings can be found in Belgium’s Kortrijk, which is presented here as an alternative to Lille. With hotel prices high in Lille and availability at just 2 per cent, fans can save an average of 301 per cent by staying in Kortijk instead, where the average price is £95 and hotel availability is at 49 per cent.

Travel interest by nationality

When searches for a hotel stay during the group stage (10th – 22nd June) were compared to the same travel period in May, Hungary saw the greatest increase in searches (3221 per cent), no doubt due to this being the first time they have qualified in 44 years. After Hungary, Northern Ireland and Wales have the greatest interest in travelling to France during the championship, with increases of 1526 per cent and 1344 per cent, respectively.

It is interesting to note that most countries have a clear preference when it came to destination and match. For example, Northern Ireland has a high proportion of searches to Lyon (where Northern Ireland will play Ukraine on 16th June), despite also paying matches in Nice and Paris. Similarly, Wales has a clear preference for Bordeaux (where they will take on Slovakia on 11th June), despite playing later matches in Lens and Toulouse.

Despite not qualifying this year, Scotland still saw a 282 per cent increase in searches to host cities during the championship, with a particular focus on Lyon and Paris. England also saw an increase of 280 per cent, although much of this was to Paris – a destination popular to UK visitors year-round. There was, however, a high volume of searches to Marseille, where England will play Russia on 11th June.

With regards to who has the most confidence for the final, France, Germany and England have the highest proportion of searches to Lyon, Marseille, Saint-Denis and Paris (where the semi-finals and finals will be hosted between 6th – 10th July).

Denise Bartlett, Communications UK & Ireland: “It is normal to see an increase in hotel prices for popular sports events involving multiple countries; for example, hotel prices increased by up to 1095 per cent in Cardiff for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Compared to this, the price increases in France are relatively moderate, peaking at an increase of 471 per cent in Lille. These events usually demonstrate a clear case of supply and demand; since hotel availability is at just 2 per cent in Lille, hotel prices are also high. Fans who have yet to book accommodation should consider one of our alternative towns, which are equally interesting tourist destinations with lower hotel prices and higher availability, all within driving distance of the respective stadiums.

With Northern Ireland, Wales and England playing as separate teams, it is interesting to see which nation is most interested in travelling to France for the matches. Northern Ireland and Wales demonstrated an increase of over 1000 per cent in hotel searches to the host cities, while travel interest from England only increased by 280 per cent – although this could be attributed to the year-round popularity of Paris as a travel destination among the English. England, however, had the highest proportion of searches for the semi-finals and finals, alongside France and Germany. This could suggest they have the most confidence for their team to advance to the finals.”