Liverpool's Eurovision Song Contest accommodation prices have been branded as "unprecedented" following the release of new data.
After Graham Norton announced Liverpool would host the contest back in October, prices for accommodation across the city skyrocketed. Some fans with hotels booked in advance came forward to reveal their listings had gone on sale again in favour of taking advantage of the new demand, leaving many without a place to stay.
The price gouging and last-minute scrambling to secure a bed is an annual tradition but not so daunting that die-hard fans would be put off spending the cash. Eurofans went ahead and secured their place in Liverpool but the drastic price increase left a bad taste with many long before they were set to arrive.
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After the initial wave of demand died down, it resurfaced with the sale of live final tickets. Fans who missed out on the chance to participate in the audience cancelled their accommodation for others to pick up but providers took this as another opportunity to cash in.
Last year's Turin contest and even 2021's Rotterdam event saw a general increase of £200 - £250 for the contest weekend, sitting at around £600 for a two-night stay. Analysis experts at BonusCodeBets combined a total 4,202 Booking.com and Airbnb listings in Liverpool.
The analysis found that the average price of a hotel in Liverpool on the night between 13th and 14th of May 2023 is £2275, which is €2615.
The data comes as no surprise after a fan reported their accommodation provider cancelled their booking to relist the room for a whopping £20,000. Another came forward to declare their £200 listing was also back on the market but for £41,000 per night.
Further data revealed an Airbnb in Liverpool on the night of the Grand Final weighs in at an average of £579 (€665). In comparison to the average weekend prices, this is an increase of 383.4% for hotel listings and 358.6% increase for Airbnb.
The price gouging locked out countless die-hard fans before their Eurovision journey began. A spokesperson for BonusCodeBets said: "We always see a spike in accommodation prices around major events, but the Eurovision prices are unprecedented, which is only a testament to the contest’s popularity and loyal fan base all over the world."
The Culture Liverpool team, responsible for creating the incredible and endless array of activities, festivals and programmes around the city over Eurovision season, condemned the price hikes. Speaking to the ECHO, they said: "There are some brilliant hoteliers in this city who have been really honest and supportive of the city's endeavour because we brought Eurovision to support that sector. There are some people who are unscrupulous and my advice is to not go anywhere near them."
The Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson also previously shared her disappointment, branding the move by accommodation providers as "silly". She said: "That is not acceptable. I know hotels do it, but I don’t think it’s on, especially with the silly prices we’ve seen.
“Eurovision is a great thing for our city and we don’t want people to be exploited.”
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