Automatic

🏨 The Spanish hotel market experienced an "extremely positive" 2023, with the investment market remaining robust in the first half of 2024, as reported by Christie & Co. Investment in hotels approached €1.5 billion, a 30% increase, with one out of three euros channeled into the luxury segment. Notable transactions included Travelodge acquiring six Louvre Hotels in Spain and the sale of the Palacio Solecio hotel in Malaga for €51 million. The second half of 2024 is expected to see a progressive increase in product availability and transaction volumes across Europe, with steady returns and a focus on economic and luxury segments. Despite a temporary dip due to general elections, pre-summer activity has surged, indicating a potential move towards a more liquid transactional market for the rest of the year.

🍴 Spain's restaurant sector, representing 3.9% of the economy, includes 232,000 companies and 264,000 establishments as of 2023. Over the past decade, the number of companies fell by 10%, with a notable 19% drop in bars and cafes. However, catering services grew by 25%. The sector's annual turnover reached €230,000 per company in 2022, with restaurants earning the highest average at €436,000. Tourism plays a significant role, with 30% of establishments highly dependent on it. Employment in the sector increased by 15.3% since 2021, now comprising 7% of Spain's total workforce. Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain surged by 43% since 2019, totaling 272. Madrid, Canarias, and Baleares have the highest concentration of establishments, with Madrid alone boasting 4.4 per square kilometer.

📍 Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Meliá Hotels International, reflects on the company's 30-year evolution, including stock market launch, acquisitions, survival of 2008 financial crisis and 2020 pandemic. Spain's beaches face a protest over sand loss, with demonstrations planned across 50 locations on Saturday at 12:30 pm. Henley & Partners' Passport Index ranks Singapore's passport as the most powerful, with visa-free access to 195 destinations, while Spain falls to second place with access to 192. The Airbus A321XLR received its European certification, set for service with Iberia by late summer, and another certification expected in late 2024. Aegean Airlines plans a historic first flight to Gran Canaria in 2025. Musical tourism in Spain generates €578 million, with major festivals attracting thousands. Ryanair partners with OTA Braganza for flight sales. The Meliá Collection debuts on the Peninsula with a new hotel in Madrid and plans for Ronda in 2026. Takyon, an Italian startup, introduces a platform in Spain for reselling prepaid hotel reservations. Simón Pedro Barceló, co-president of Grupo Barceló, was honored as the Tourism Personality 2023 by Hosteltur.

🏨 In 2023, the top 20 Spanish hotel chains exceeded 453,960 rooms, a significant growth from 357,806 rooms in 2013, mainly across Europe and the Caribbean. Meliá Hotels International leads with nearly 30,000 more rooms than Barceló Hotel Group and 35,900 more than NH Hotel Group. Barceló, now the second largest, added 17,715 rooms from 2016 to 2017, reaching almost 62,000 rooms at the end of 2023. Sercotel and Fergus Group experienced substantial growth, with Sercotel nearly sextupling its room count in a decade.