Hosteltur

🏠 In the tourism industry, SMEs are majority and tend to follow innovative leaders in technology adoption, comparing their cautiousness to wildebeests hesitating to cross a crocodile-infested river. Álvaro Carrillo of ITH made the comparison nearly seven years ago. Hotels utilize technology for routine tasks, allowing staff to focus on human interaction, with AI and machine learning advancing since 2014. Meliá Hotels International automated 30% of its repetitive tasks with software robots by 2021. The tourism sector also focuses on customer-centric technology choices, like Whatsapp communication and check-in kiosks, aiming for personalized services and data sharing for better AI application. In airlines and airports, investments in technology have improved travel experience, safety, sustainability, efficiency, and profitability, embracing automation, facial recognition, and real-time luggage tracking with NFT tickets introduced by Air Europa. The internet's penetration in Spanish households rose from over 50% in 2005 to 79% in 2017, reaching near-universal usage now, allowing consumers to plan and book travel online, increasingly via smartphones and apps. Tourism offices have also aligned with technology, offering extended services in multiple languages, like the AI Cicerone capable of 95 languages. The Dataestur platform, launched in late 2020, amalgamates public and private data to enhance destination and business competitiveness. Overall, the sector leverages technology for mundane tasks, optimizing

🏥 Spanish hotels face a critical challenge: a shortage of qualified talent. A roundtable discussion at the Tourism & Economy Barcelona Summit 2025 on April 3 highlighted this issue and potential solutions for attracting and retaining talent in an increasingly competitive sector. Manuel Butler, Spain's Tourism Counsellor in London, emphasized sustainability as a key factor for talent attraction. Carlos Díez de la Lastra, CEO of Les Roches Global, warned of a global talent war and noted that the demand for skilled workers, especially in the premium sector, exceeds supply. Javier Caballero of McKinsey stressed the importance of integrating talent as a strategic pillar, while ESADE professor Josep Mª Sayeras spoke on the need for profound organizational culture changes. Overall, the debate stressed that sustainability, continuous training, attractive career plans, and employee valuation are crucial for transforming the sector and making it appealing to global talent.

🏨 The Coral Boutique hotel by Gaiarooms has 52 rooms and integrates automation technology such as smart locks, automatic check-in/out, keyless access, and consumption sensors, aiming to slash operational costs by up to 40% and enhance the 4-star experience with more competitive pricing. Situated on the Costa Brava, the hotel aligns with market demands for sustainability, efficiency, and digitalization. Gaiarooms, led by founder and CEO Enrique Domínguez, transforms existing hotels with sustainable design and technology, catering to travelers seeking central locations, reasonable prices, and seamless digital experiences, positioning itself as a strategic partner in provinces like Girona for upgrading hotel offerings.

💸 Hospitality workers in Las Palmas province will receive a €650 bonus in May and a 9% salary increase over 12 months, amounting to €1,500 annually on average, preventing a strike planned for Easter. The agreement, involving the Las Palmas Hospitality and Tourism Business Federation (FEHT) and unions, represents a €100 million commitment. A new collective agreement, 13% better than the national average, will be discussed starting September, including improvements for housekeepers. The current agreement includes an immediate 2.75% raise from April, with a further 4% increase from January 2026. The Canary Islands government mediated the settlement, to be ratified on Monday by the regional Tourism and Employment counselor.