← Research archiveSeptember 2026October 2026 update

COP31 has not even started. Inequality already has.

October research — EN visual

Affordable accommodation in Antalya is shrinking, while staying close to the conference venue is getting more expensive. New research by SICI for COP31Radar shows that unequal conditions for participation are deepening before the summit even begins. For civil society groups, journalists and smaller delegations, getting to COP31 is becoming harder.

COP31, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, will take place in Antalya from 9 to 20 November. Governments, companies, civil society organisations, researchers and journalists from around the world are expected to attend. But COP meetings are also shaped by a basic question: who can actually afford to be there?

Beyond accreditation, accommodation, transport and daily living costs can create a hidden barrier for people and organisations with smaller budgets.

Social Institute of Change and Impact (SICI) is tracking these hidden costs through COP31Radar.

This is the second snapshot in The Cost of COP31: Antalya Access & Affordability Monitor. The first snapshot was published on 22 September 2026. The new data show the position on 6 October 2026.

What changed in two weeks?

October research chart 1

With about a month to go before COP31, the number of bookable options on the official accommodation platform is narrowing. Lower-cost options are disappearing, while staying close to the conference venue is becoming more expensive.

Research by SICI for COP31Radar compared accommodation listed on the official COP31 platform on 22 September and 6 October.

The number of properties offering COP-period accommodation for under €1,000 fell from 28 to 19 in two weeks. In other words, about one third of the lowest-cost options moved out of this price band.

The number of bookable properties within 30 kilometres of COP31 fell from 113 to 94. The median Starting Cost in this group rose from €3,300 to €3,586.

As of 6 October, only 7 of the 19 properties still below €1,000 were within 30 kilometres of the conference venue.

Close and affordable accommodation is becoming extremely limited

October research chart 2

The research shows that finding accommodation that is both close to COP31 and relatively affordable has become extremely limited.

Lower-cost options are shrinking, while the cost of staying close to the venue is rising. For lower-budget participants, that can mean a choice between paying more for accommodation or staying farther away and taking on additional daily travel, time and cost.

The overall median Starting Cost changed much less, from €2,381.72 to €2,420. The main change is therefore not a broad price surge across all accommodation, but a shrinking pool of lower-cost options and properties close to the conference venue.

One of COP31's hidden barriers: accommodation

October research chart 3

Attending COP31 is not only about getting accredited. Participants need to stay in Antalya for almost two weeks and travel to the conference venue every day. As accommodation becomes more expensive or moves farther away, the burden grows most for smaller organisations and independent participants with limited budgets.

Ersin Tek, Director of SICI, said:

“Equal participation at COP31 cannot be judged only by who gets accredited. Being able to reach Antalya, stay here and get to the venue every day is also part of access. The pattern we see is clear: cheaper options are disappearing and staying close to the venue is becoming more expensive. A cost that may be manageable for a large delegation can become a direct ‘Can we afford to come?’ question for a small civil society organisation, an independent journalist or a delegation with a limited budget.”

Tek added:

“COP31 will discuss climate justice, finance and a just transition. But who is physically able to take part in those discussions also matters. We want to make this gap visible before the summit begins.”

Key figures

Metric 22 September 6 October
Bookable properties 208 181
€1,000 or less 28 19
€1,500 or less 72 55
Bookable properties within 30 km 113 94
Median Starting Cost within 30 km €3,300 €3,586
Overall Median Starting Cost €2,381.72 €2,420

Methodology

SICI examined bookable properties on the official COP31 accommodation platform operated by Coral Travel for the period 9–20 November 2026 on two separate dates.

The first snapshot was collected on 22 September 2026 and the second on 6 October 2026.

For this research, Starting Cost means the 11-night equivalent of the nightly “Price From” rate displayed for each property on the platform.

Of the 208 properties visible on 22 September, 27 no longer appeared in the bookable results on 6 October. The research does not infer why they were absent. Their absence alone does not mean they were sold out or removed from the platform.

The data represent bookable options visible on the official COP31 accommodation platform at the time of each snapshot. They do not represent the entire Antalya accommodation market.

Research series

This is the second snapshot in The Cost of COP31: Antalya Access & Affordability Monitor.

Research & analysis: SICI · Published by COP31Radar

SICI: https://sici.uk
COP31Radar: https://cop31radar.com
Ersin Tek: https://ersintek.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ersintek/

Downloads

Research report (PDF) ↓Press release (PDF) ↓Public dataset (XLSX) ↓Full public data package (ZIP) ↓