Hotels push to be ready for Euro 2012
For many hoteliers, the European Football Championship in 2012 provides a one-time opportunity to enter the Ukrainian tourism market.
However, despite construction running hot, these same hotels run the risk of not being completed before vistors start arriving for the matches. The construction of the five-star Hilton Hotel, a $150 million project in Kiev's city center, operates day and night. But, because of the global economic crisis and other financial difficulties the work has slowed and fallen behind schedule.
Other projects, such as the five-star Fairmont and Radisson Royal, the four-star Holiday Inn or the three-star Ibis lag, as well.
Furthermore, half of the planned hotel projects for 2012 had to be canceled for now and remain mere ideas on paper. Critics argued that the building process had started way too late for Ukraine.
Even though Kiev features a lot of hotels, it's expected that additional rooms to accommodate visitors and guests for the tournament will be needed.