Eurovision Fans Face Paying At Least 82% More For Their Liverpool Stay

New research shows that fans attending the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool will find their accommodation is at least 82% more expensive than normal, due to demand.

Despite Liverpool being one of the cheaper cities to visit in spring - proving less expensive than Manchester yet pricier than Glasgow - prices skyrocket to meet the increased demand for cheap accommodation - meaning fans will be subjected to significantly higher rates.

When the host city for this year’s highly-anticipated Eurovision Song Contest was first announced in October, hotels cancelled bookings and hiked up their prices in anticipation.

Some accommodation was advertised for a staggering £5k a night, as Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena is set to host three live Eurovision events, including the four-hour grand final this May.

Prices stabilised after the initial rush in booking, AirDNA reveals, with the upcoming Easter break providing a strong basis for establishing how local accommodation prices have fluctuated since - with recent bookings showing that prices are at least 82% higher during peak periods.

As many fans will have held off on booking accommodation until they ordered tickets - which sold out in 36 minutes - they’ll be hit with even higher prices to secure their stay.

In fact, Google searches for Liverpool hotels jumped up 136% in the hour after tickets went on sale, whilst ‘cheap Liverpool hotel’ increased 300%, and ‘Liverpool Airbnb’ rose by 137%.

According to AirDNA - based on bookings made prior to the start of March - the average Liverpool Airbnb is charging 28% more than last year for a night’s stay during the Easter break, with prices increasing from £108 a night to a whopping £138 due to increased demand.

Liverpool sees the highest price hike during peak periods than any other UK city - including London - year-on-year, even without major events like Eurovision impacting demand.

This means that a Liverpool weekend stay will set visitors back by £753 towards the end of March, as opposed to the £414 that they’d pay at other off-peak times of year.

However, this 82% is the minimum increase that Eurovision attendees will pay, as the majority of Airbnb hosts are expected to charge additional premiums and up their rates to capitalise on the event’s popularity - with only 6,000 tickets available across the live shows.

And whilst some might stay in a nearby city to avoid Liverpool’s extortionate accommodation costs - such as Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent or Bradford - they’ll still be subject to higher fees, as the average UK accommodation increases by 42% at peak periods.

For those who are happy to commute to the M&S Bank Arena on the day, the best city to stop in is Stoke-in-Trent, with peak Airbnb prices standing at around £129 a night. Meanwhile, a Manchester stay will set you back £189 a night when peak rates are applied.

With Eurovision tickets averaging £270 for the final, the average fan will pay at least £1,023 for their Liverpool weekend accommodation and event attendance, on top of train fare.