Distribución y Revenue Management

🏕 Spain's Industry and Tourism Minister, Jordi Hereu, highlighted a tourism milestone with 94 million visitors in 2024, a 10% increase from 2023. Tourist spending soared to €126 billion, marking a 16% growth. Hereu anticipates potentially surpassing 100 million tourists in 2025, focusing on quality over quantity. The "green and interior" regions of Spain are gaining traction, contributing to the industry's expansion. High tourist satisfaction is reported, with 97% pleased and 65% intending to return within a year.

🌍 Travelplan, part of Ávoris, to start operations in Italy with initial departures from Rome, Milan, and Venice, before expanding to Florence, Turin, and Naples airports. The new offerings include stays in the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Balearic and Canary Islands, with services like check-in in Italy and luggage retrieval at destination. Ávoris is focusing on the Italian market with tools like the Ávoris Store, API connectivity, and Travel Compositor Market to simplify access to their broad range of services. Juan Carlos González, the General Director of Ávoris, emphasizes Italy as a strategic opportunity, citing the quality of products and commitment to market needs.

💰 HBX Group, led by CEO Nicolas Huss, announced on Thursday their intention to list on the Spanish continuous market, making it one of the first major IPOs in 2025. The group aims to go public with a two-part operation: an initial public offering (IPO) of new titles worth up to €725 million to reduce debt, and a sale of existing shares. Admission of their shares to trade on the stock exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, and Valencia is pending approval by the CNMV.

💰 HBX Group, including Hotelbeds, plans to list on the Spanish continuous market in February. The initial public offering (IPO) is set to reach €725 million, targeting qualified investors, executives, and employees. The move aims to drive growth and refinance its current debt of €1.7 billion. HBX, with a 23-year history, is led by CEO Nicolas Huss and backed by private equity firm Cinven and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The IPO will also accelerate growth strategy and strengthen financial position within the traveltech industry.

🏠 La industria hotelera y de viajes, valorada en 5 billones de dólares, invierte aproximadamente el 7% de sus ingresos en marketing digital. Gigantes como Booking.com y Expedia destinan entre el 30% y el 50%, alcanzando los 16 mil millones de dólares en 2024. El marketing se concentra en motores de búsqueda, plataformas sociales, metabuscadores y OTA. ChatGPT ya cuenta con casi 200 millones de usuarios mensuales. El desarrollo de la IA puede costar hasta 100 millones de dólares, con OpenAI registrando pérdidas de 5 mil millones en 2024.

📈 HBX Group, based in Palma de Mallorca and valued at €5 billion, will announce its IPO, scheduled for February 12, after delays. The capital increase planned for the IPO is between €700-750 million. Founded in 2001 as Hotelbeds, HBX now includes brands such as Bedsonline, Roiback, and TravelStack, employing over 3,700 people globally. Owners Cinven and CPPIB considered selling but opted for an IPO following record 2023 revenue of €8.4 billion, 40% higher than in 2019. Advisors for the operation include Evercore, Bank of America, Citi, and Morgan Stanley.

🏡 Fairmont La Hacienda, directed by Juan Losada, is set to open on February 20, offering a new luxury concept with a minimum room size of 52 square meters. The resort features 306 rooms, 156 suites (30 with private pools), 47 villas, a 1,800 square meter spa, four restaurants, two bars, and a golf course. Located 20 kilometers from Gibraltar, it aims to attract 80% international clientele, families, and professionals while training 100 staff members two months before its inauguration.

🎭 PortAventura World in Tarragona, with 5.5 million visitors in 2023, launched Ponient Hotels, venturing beyond park boundaries into hotel management starting in 2022 with Hotel Vila-Centric. As of early 2024, PortAventura's Ponient Hotels will have 10 establishments, including the upcoming Hotel Ponient Marinada. Together with PortAventura's six themed hotels, they exceed 3,000 rooms, nearly 1,000 belonging to Ponient Hotels, targeting 6,000 in the future. Puy du Fou in Toledo, attracting 1.1 million visitors in 2023, plans three hotels with 500 rooms and a €58 million investment.

🏖️ W2M enhanced Caribbean presence with a new flight frequency to La Romana, Dominican Republic, and maintains and expands operations in Cuba. Seven summer frequencies to Cancún, Mexico, are performing well, and the addition of a flight to Cali, Colombia, in 2025 has been well received. New 2025 routes include flights from Madrid to La Romana (June-October), to Isla Mauricio (June-September), and from Lisbon to Montego Bay, Jamaica. W2M's airline World2Fly introduced new packages to destinations like La Romana and Cali, following their flight connection since December 1. Soltour, anticipating a positive trend, will increase capacity by 15% for Easter 2025.

✈ Iberia updated its Puente Aéreo service between Madrid and Barcelona by introducing two new fares: "Puente Aéreo Flexible" for a fixed price of €219 per trip (roundtrip purchase) with benefits including free checked baggage, seat selection, priority boarding, free changes, and refunds, and "Puente Aéreo Confort," offering services like fast track access and seat selection, with prices ranging from €149 to €199. These rates aim to provide greater flexibility and ease of travel management via Iberia's app and website, allowing for same-day or advance changes and the accumulation of additional Avios. Iberia has also improved infrastructure with new check-in counters, self-service kiosks, and fast tracks, enabling customers to arrive up to 15 minutes before the flight for rapid boarding.