HOTELIERS must shoulder the blame for poor summer sales in
Spain, First Choice managing director Paul Evans has said.
He accused overseas suppliers of “pricing themselves out of
the market” by demanding more money from operators, which has forced up
brochure prices.
“There was a time when rises were necessary to pay for
health and safety improvements and hotel refurbishment,” said Evans. “Now it is
going straight into the pockets of hoteliers.”
He said the 2001 increases, which ranged from 3% to 7%, come
on the back of five years of significant rises.
“It is not sustainable,” he added.
While the sales volume has remained static, yield has fallen
as holidaymakers, put off by high brochure prices, book late.