The Primavera Sound, the return of international tourism (despite the absence of the Asian visitor), the fairs and the congresses have triggered the occupation of June in Barcelona. Barcelona hotels are close to full occupancy, mainly with American, French and European tourists. The rate of reservations already predicts an occupancy of more than 85% during the summer months.
The increase in demand has served not only to recover the average prices per room of 2019 but to exceed them since last April. During the pandemic and with the borders closed, "the strategy of the hotels that opened was to attract national tourism and the drop in prices was also considerable," explained the president of the Gremi, Jordi Clos. The director acknowledged that the recovery of international tourists and business tourism allows "to be able to increase prices, which means that part of the customer profile that we do not want for the city is disappearing."
The progression of tourist activity has registered a very clear increase since March. Then, and with 30% of the city's hotels still closed, an occupancy rate of 68% was recorded and an average room price of 125.80 euros, still below the price of 2019. In April, the occupation was shot up to 83.5% (with 10% of the hotels closed) and the average price rose to 150 euros, 13.4 euros more than in April 2019. The month of May, and with practically the entire hotel open, prices and occupancy have continued to rise.
The latest data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) confirm this trend. The hotel situation survey for the month of April confirms that Barcelona led overnight stays in tourist spots. In total, some 650,000 were registered, which represents an increase of 700% over the same month of the previous year, and just 100,000 less than in April 2019, before the outbreak of the pandemic. The Catalan capital also led weekend occupancy rates.
With the return of foreign tourists, the recovery of the tourism sector extends beyond the capital. The Frontur survey for April, published yesterday by the INE, which offers entry data for international travellers, confirms that Catalonia was the main destination for foreigners who arrived in Spain in April. It received 1.2 million tourists, 19% of the total that arrived in Spain. It is 1,137%, more than a year before, and this despite the fact that the main origin of international tourists arriving in Catalonia is France, a country less affected by the restrictions than Great Britain, whose total opening and the end of the requirements for traveling has been the turning point in the recovery.
The arrival of British soared 5,122.8% in April. In total there were 1.2 million, 20.4% of the total of 6.1 million international visitors who arrived in Spain that month. A fact that already means reaching 85% of the record visits that occurred in 2019. "The good Easter campaign that we anticipate has propelled the degree of recovery of tourist flows in April, confirming a trend of gradual growth that is maintained since the beginning of the year”, assured yesterday the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto. In the first four months of 2022, the number of tourists visiting Spain increased by 755.8%, to 15.8 million. In the same period of 2021, barely 1.8 million arrived.
The good vibrations of Holy Week extend in the sector towards the summer, since together with the recovery of European tourism has come the long-haul tourism. With Asia closed, the presence of Americans has skyrocketed by 2,475.5%.
Another element that inspires optimism is that visitors' stays are lengthening and spending per person is increasing. Total spending in April grew by 932% to 6,901 million euros, already close to pre-pandemic levels.
