Amsterdam hotel room prices up 15% compared to 2005

The average hotel room prices have gone up considerably over the last year, and will continue to rise in 2008.

The average hotel room price of E 116 (in 2005) rose to E 134 in one year, up 15%. This is partially caused by the Rembrandt year 2006, which attracted a lot of visitors.

Another factor is that there is a shortage of hotels in Amsterdam. Most visitors want to stay in the centre of Amsterdam, but the city does not allow more hotels in the centre, as it wants to protect the residential character of the inner city. Creating new hotels in other parts of the city, or outside Amsterdam, is less problematic, but not as attractive for hotel entrepreneurs.

It is expected that average hotel prices will rise further to E 143 in 2008.

Although some officials and attraction owners fear this may affect the number of visitors to Amsterdam, and the number of conferences Amsterdam can attract, the figures still show a rise of visitor numbers and also of the number of congresses.