Automatic

💸 Black Friday on November 29 saw hotel bookings soar by double digits. Post-Black Friday, hotel reservations plummeted between December 2-8. TravelgateX reported continued declines in some destinations in the following week, December 9-15. Variations in hotel bookings by region included Cataluña (+4.43%), Madrid (+7.59%), and Aragon (+32.87%), while Baleares (-11.04%) and Valencia (-4.56%) saw decreases. A study from UIB suggests Black Friday sales may not always yield the expected effects, noting up to 40% booking spikes but also significant drops before and after, possibly reducing overall bookings.

🏨 Aubamar Hotels tops the Hosteltur 2024 ranking of small Spanish hotel chains with 991 rooms, followed by Majestic Hotel Group (971 rooms) and Axel Hotels (963 rooms), out of 149 chains with 755 hotels and 67,644 rooms, where 97% are in Spain. The sector is growing, driven by high demand and both national and international expansion. Smartrental Group debuts at position 23 with 817 rooms. Sidenor considers withdrawing from the acquisition of a 29.9% stake in Talgo from Trilantic, offering 4 euros per share, while the Polish Development Fund emerges as a potential buyer. Lastly, 88% of travel agencies report inadequate information on the new traveler registration decree, Real Decreto 933/2021, with 54% assigning staff to comply, affecting their commercial capacity, and 63% believe it reduces Spain's competitiveness as a destination.

🎄 During the 2024 Christmas campaign, online travel gifts in Spain accounted for 15% of purchases, with an average spend of €213, marking a 30% increase from the previous year. Electronic products represented 40% and beauty and wellness 18% of online purchases. The online sales overall are expected to grow by 40% compared to 2023. This shift highlights the growing prominence of e-commerce in the tourism and retail sectors.