The Olympic Games are a business for companies and individuals.
(Photo: dpa [M])
Paris The Saint-Denis district of Paris is not usually one of the favorite areas for tourists. But that will be different in mid-2024. From July 26, Paris will host the Olympic Games and many major competitions will be held at the Stade de France in the suburbs. 78,000 spectators fit into the stadium.
The Parisians smell the business. Tourist associations explain that the normal range of accommodation is far from sufficient. An apartment for four to six people often costs 1,000 euros during the games, and a house can sometimes cost 2,000 euros. Airbnb does not want to cap prices.
The closer the accommodation is to the venues, the more expensive it gets. Large venues are located in the southwest of the city. In the center are the Roland Garros tennis stadium and the Parc des Princes football stadium. Competitions are also held on the Seine.
In conversations between Parisians, such considerations are the most important topic. 3.25 million tickets for sporting events have already been sold in the first phase. You can register for the second phase until April 20th.
At the same time, sports fans look for accommodation and find new ads on the portals every day. They can usually only be booked for the time of the games. Apparently, many Parisians who would otherwise not give up their apartments are also testing the market. Why not go to the seaside during the Olympics when the holiday pays for itself by renting it out?
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The booking portals have so far remained silent as to whether someone actually pays the requested rents. Individual Parisians have revealed to the media that they have made a lot of money. An apartment owner from the 15th arrondissement in the south of the city said he was offering a two-bedroom apartment, one with bunk beds, for €690 a night. Overall, he hopes to earn almost 16,000 euros.
A hood-seater from the 17th arrondissement near the Arc de Triomphe takes 599 euros to 799 euros for 80 square meters with two rooms. All three weeks are already fully booked.
Not only tourists need an apartment
Many offers are only available for a whole week, not just for single nights. This could increase the chance of not renting to a sports fan, but to someone who comes to town to work. That’s what the Parisians assume when making small talk.
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The media alone will take up a lot of space. Paris expects 26,000 accredited and 8,000 other journalists. A total of 13 million visitors are expected on site – many without tickets.
The next tickets will be allocated from May 11th. Then many apartments should go away again. Tickets will also be offered later on at https://tickets.paris2024.org.
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Ticket prices start at 24 euros. The places in the athletics and basketball finals cost between 100 and 980 euros. A ticket for the closing ceremony at the Stade de France costs between 45 and 1600 euros. You can get to the opening ceremony along the Seine for 90 to 2700 euros, but you will probably be able to see something of it even without a ticket. Everyone needs just one apartment.
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