DirectRooms.com - Barcelona to hosts 20th European Athletics Championship in July 2010

Online, June 2, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Fans of the sprints, long distance and field events of the European Athletics Championships are preparing to head for the Catalonian city Barcelona for the 20th event of its kind in July this year, and the city is expected to be busier than ever this summer.

While not of the scale of the Olympic Games, the European Athletics Championship is still a major event in the calendar and many of the sport's top names will be in attendance and competing. Fans of the sport are also heading for Barcelona in big numbers, sparking fears that cheap Barcelona hotels will be hard to get hold of between July 27 and August 1.

The championship has never been held in Spain before and track and field fans can look forward to several days of warm and sunny weather in the Spanish climate. Since its inception in 1932 the European Athletics Championships have attracted more fans every time out.

Among the athletes expected to attract the most attention this year is Merlene Ottey, who will take part despite enjoying her 50th birthday recently.

Lek Boonlert, marketing head at hotel room booker DirectRooms.com, says, "Barcelona is a popular tourist destination in its own right and is always busy in the month of July regardless. However with the European Athletics Championships being held there too this year hotel rooms in the city will be in higher demand than ever. So advance booking is the key to getting a good deal somewhere close to the sporting arena."