Hosteltur

🙌 Barcelona, 29th September: At the ACAVE Forum, experts discussed challenges in attracting young talent to travel agencies. Key issues include low salaries, lack of career growth, and unpaid internships, while young professionals seek fair pay, work-life balance, and career development. Between 2021 and 2023, 649,511 young Spaniards emigrated. The industry must redefine its value proposition and offer clear career paths to compete with other sectors and combat the global talent drain.

🏖 Caribbean tourism arrivals rose by nearly 2% in H1 2025, as reported by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), despite a decline in U.S. demand. Hotel daily rates increased by 3% to $424, though occupancy fell to 73%. The region saw 18.5 million arrivals, a 6.1% increase over 2019 levels. The U.S. accounts for half of all tourists. Airbnb listed around 79,500 active rentals across 24 destinations. The CTO conference in Barbados highlighted these trends.

🗺️ CCOO highlights insufficient job growth in Spain's tourism sector, with employment increasing by 63,000 (1.6% in retail, 1.9% in restaurants, 3.5% in lodging) compared to 2024. Despite a 3.9% rise in tourist arrivals and a 7.1% increase in spending, employment grew only 2.8%, below the 4% expected. Salaries lag the national average (€2,026), with hospitality wages at €1,717, restaurant at €1,195, and retail at €1,598, widening the pay gap since 2019.

🏨 Atom Hoteles Socimi reported a 40% increase in profits for the first half of 2025, reaching €43 million. The company distributed €98 million in dividends, including €28 million in July and €70 million in December 2024. Atom manages 23 assets in Spain with 5,572 rooms and completed two divestments. Key projects include refinements at Meliá Valencia and METT Barcelona. Upcoming priorities focus on asset protection, profitability, and ongoing project completion.

🛴 Europlayas, a Spanish tour operator with over 50 years in the market, plans to grow its €80 million business by leveraging mid-season opportunities and launching a high-speed train vacation package this autumn. Collaborating with Renfe and Iryo, Europlayas aims to offer train + hotel getaways and expand to theme park packages by 2026. Their strategic partnerships with destinations like Catalunya and Costa del Sol focus on premium products for continued differentiation in a competitive market.