Eurovision: Fury as Airbnb hosts cancel bookings in Liverpool to put them back on sale for up to £8,000 | Travel News | Trip
Hotels, Airbnbs and other accommodation have reportedly canceled pre-existing bookings in Liverpool following news that the city will host the Eurovision Song Contest next year.
Eurovision will take place in Liverpool on May 13, 2023, after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided it would not be safe to hold the contest in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
Now tourists are reporting that their pre-booked accommodation has been canceled and is being advertised at a much higher price.
House prices in Liverpool over Eurovision weekend have skyrocketed. Some Airbnb hosts advertise apartments and houses for over £10,000, while Booking.com has reported that 99% of its accommodations are full.
Only a few hotels are still available on the booking site which advertise up to £2,000.
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Some tourists who had booked accommodation in Liverpool for May 23 found their bookings were suddenly canceled after the announcement earlier this week.
Many have found their hotels and apartments once again available at a much higher price and have taken to social media to share their frustration.
On Twitter, user Buzz O’Neill-Maxwell commented: “I was on the ball a long time ago and had hotel rooms on hold in Liverpool and Glasgow in anticipation of the announcement of the Eurovision on @bookingcom.
“Then this message and the reservation is canceled (nothing wrong with my credit card of course.) Total chancers. The prices are now crazy.”
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Social media user @PeterJHolland said: “I booked and paid for an Airbnb in Liverpool for Eurovision for the weekend.
“Twelve hours later, the reservation was canceled and re-booked with an eye-watering 204% increase. Well done guys, you absolutely lucky ones.”
Another, @debbief135, had booked a hotel for a wedding she was having the same weekend and discovered her reservation had been canceled shortly after the announcement.
She explained: “We had booked four rooms for a wedding in Liverpool on May 13, we suddenly received an amendment to my booking telling me my booking is now for May 14.
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A one-night stay in Liverpool on May 13 costs an average of £5,760 when booking an apartment for two people.
A two-bedroom house can be found for £5,375, and larger houses advertise upwards of £8,000 per night.
The Eurovision contest will be financed by a combination of local and national public funds, as well as by broadcasters.
An Airbnb spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “We have not seen evidence to support these claims and we are taking a range of steps to deter hosts from canceling stays, including by applying fees, penalties and preventing hosts from accepting other stays One in four guests say they chose Airbnb to save money and the average price per night of a stay during Eurovision doesn’t is just £228. In the unlikely event of a problem, our 24/7 support team are on hand to help.”
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