Hoteliers, optimistic to Holy Week after reserves grow by 30% with the arrival of the sun and a winter with more income
The hotel sector faces with Holy Week Optimismwho expect it to be prelude to a spring of “moderate growth” with respect to the record data of 2024. Entrepreneurs recognize having an eye on weather forecasts, which are at the moment to take a break after the rainy weeks. They point out that the arrival of the sun fired last week 30% reserves in hotels for Holy Week. The sensations are good after a winter season in which hotel income has grown 3.4%, according to the report Smart Observatory Spring 2024/25 Published on Tuesday by the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations (CEHAT) and PWC.
“Holy Week came a bit strange, but The reserves have firled again “explained the president of CEHAT, Jorge Marichal, at a press conference, noting that travelers are increasingly waiting for the last moment, something that he thinks influences the situation of geopolitical instability. From the employer they emphasize that the occupation in portfolio at this point of the year is at levels similar to those of last year and trust to reissue the good data, although it will have to be pending time. “In Holy Week, if it is good, Spain is filled. If not, there is very good occupation four days and regulate three others. And if it is bad, the occupation is not good. We depend a lot on time “, Ramón Estalella, general secretary of Cehat, has expressed, who has clarified that everything indicates that the dates of this year will be “very good.”
In the face of the whole Spring season, hoteliers foresee a slight increase in activityan ascent that highlights that it relies on the improvement of the hotel offer and in the increase in average by tourist. The prognosis of CEHAT and PWC is based on an index calculated from the macroeconomic situation, tourist flows, the feeling of the tourist, the intention of travel and future demand, an indicator that points to a growth of the activity of 1% with respect to the spring of 2024.
Despite being a moderate increase, from the employer they celebrate the forecasts, considering that they strengthen the growth of recent years. “At the moment it does not seem that there will be any abrupt fall. It is not a brake, but a stabilization With respect to a year in which we were already coming from very good figures, “said Marichal, who has claimed that the sector advances” on the right path. ” “We will not be eternally growing, it would not be healthybecause we would be living in a bubble, “he acknowledged.
“The forecasts for this spring are very positive for Spain in the tourist field where we remain an international reference beyond sun and beach tourism,” said José Manuel Fernández Terán, responsible partner of Tourism, Transportation and Logistics of PWC. “Thanks to the strengthening of air connectivity and the gradual improvement of the hotel supplywe are being able to capture tourists with greater purchasing power, highlighting the long radio markets such as the American and the Asian, “he added.
More Americans and Asian
A good part of the thrust of the tourism sector is due to the growing arrival of international travelerswhich increased by 3% With respect to the previous year in the winter season. Foreign visitors already represent practically half of the customers that are housed in hotels. Since 2019, its arrival has grown 16%, a trend that the employer expects to remain in the coming months. Specifically, although traditional markets such as British, German or French are expected to keep their weight, from the report prepared by CEHAT and PWC A growing interest in traveling to Spain in long radio markets, especially from the United StatesLatin America and Southeast Asia and Australia, with an increase of 27%, 4% and 37% respectively in searches on-line.
The hoteliers They do not believe that Donald Trump’s return to the White House can negatively affect to Spanish tourism. On the contrary, they consider that they could opt for more to cross the Atlantic in the face of other traditional destinations such as Mexico. “It is not that people are not going on vacation, but maybe they decide more careful where they van, and that can even benefit us a little,” says Marichal, which emphasizes that Spain does not offer a “fashionable” tourist destination but “stable”.
The arrival of foreign tourists from farther areas means not only the opening of new markets, but the reception of travelers with greater purchasing power. This is reflected in the increase in Hotel income, which in the winter season grew by 3.4% With respect to the previous year. Cehat blames the rise mainly to the Rate average price increase and the offer of tourists oriented with greater purchasing power. “If the rise in prices were for a volatile situation of the markets, there would be an adjustment. The data is not saying that, it is being seen that it is rigged to an increase in the added value,” says the president of the employer, which highlights the improvement of the hotel offer. 4 and 5 stars squares have increased by 4%.
The hoteliers are confident that the pull of the international demand also the greatest exit of Spaniards abroad to pass their vacations, although They do not lose sight of national demand. “It has no symptoms of deterioration, but quite the opposite, it can increase”José Antonio, a PWC tourism and transport specialist, has pointed out. Inflation moderation and interest rates are expected to increase the purchasing power of households and favor consumption. “Families have greater availability when facing expenses and investments and can be taken care of and luxurious in vacation form. And companies also have more capacity to face investments and continue generating added value,” said Marichal.
