① Paris 2024 Olympics
With the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics looming, travel costs have skyrocketed. The 33rd Summer Olympics, which will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024, is drawing considerable attention. The Paris 2024 Olympics will host 329 events in 32 categories over three weeks, with 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) participating, excluding the Refugee Olympic Team.
The Paris Olympics will feature various events, including the opening ceremony, at major tourist attractions like the Seine River, the Champs-Élysées, the Place de la Concorde, and the Eiffel Tower. There is already a lot of anticipation for the Olympics, even before they have begun.
Tickets for the Paris Olympics can be purchased from the official ticket sales window on the website of the Paris Summer Olympics Organizing Committee. If you buy a resold ticket, you will not be able to enter the stadium.
On travel-related community forums, you can find posts from people planning their trips to coincide with the Paris Olympics. Many are worried about the soaring costs in Paris, which is already known for being expensive.
There are about nine months left until the Olympics, but prices are already fluctuating. Not only Paris but also nearby cities are expected to be affected. If you plan to travel to Paris during the peak summer season, you can expect higher prices than usual. Since the Paris Olympics coincide with the peak summer season, prices are even more expensive.
During the Olympics held in London in 2012, hotel accommodation costs rose by an average of 300% compared to the usual rates.
② Soaring Hotel Prices in Paris, France
The French government expects about 11 million tourists to flock to the city during the Paris Olympics.
Of these, approximately 3.3 million are estimated to tour regions outside Paris. It is expected that hotel accommodation costs will rise across all regions of France, not just Paris.
Accommodation costs in Paris are known to be among the most expensive in Europe. Even the prices for hostels and guesthouses are not cheap. Due to the Olympics’ impact, accommodation costs in Paris are already soaring. Currently, hotel accommodation costs in Paris have surged more than threefold.
Several foreign media outlets, including Bloomberg, have reported that hotel prices have skyrocketed ahead of the Paris Olympics. The average price per night for a 3-star hotel in Paris was about $200. Now, it has significantly increased to $770.
The average nightly rate for a 4-star hotel is about $1,070. While it usually exceeded $300, it has increased more than threefold. The average cost for a night at a 5-star hotel in Paris has risen from about $700 to about $1,810. The same goes for accommodations run by individuals, with average nightly rates ranging between $420 – $840.
Despite the high accommodation costs, more than 50% of rooms in Paris are currently booked. The average price per night for a hotel in Paris that can be booked during the Olympic period is about $560. As the Olympic season approaches and the number of tourists in Paris increases, hotel accommodation costs are expected to continue to rise. Some hotels are even blocking sales during the Olympic period and are only selling to MICE and VIP customers.
③ Soaring Airfare Prices
The price of airfare during the Paris Olympics has also significantly increased. As of November 6, the price of a round-trip ticket from Incheon to Paris, departing on July 25 and returning on August 12, is $1,670. A direct flight ticket from Korean Air is about $1,800. If you make one stopover, the price is around $1,090. As the Olympics approach, airfare prices are expected to continue to rise. During the Paris Olympics, a business-class ticket is about $4,500, and a first-class ticket is about $9,200.
Considering the cost of airfare, accommodation, and Olympic tickets, a trip to Paris during the Olympics could be much higher than expected. Meanwhile, the expensive price of Paris Olympic tickets has even angered athletes. The Organizing Committee for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics sold over 3 million tickets for three events as a package in the first phase last February. When single-event tickets went on sale in May, the price of an Olympic ticket three days after the start of sales was about $820, and a track and field semi-final ticket was about $1,170. The opening ceremony ticket price is approximately $3,220.
Belgian track and field athlete Nafissatou Thiam complained that Olympic tickets were too expensive, saying, “I’m not even sure if my family will be able to come and see me.” French judo athlete Amandine Buchard said, “They said the Olympics would be accessible to everyone, but in reality, you need to take out a bank loan for your family and loved ones to come and see us.”
By. Seo Sung Min
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