Distribución y Revenue Management

🏠 Spanish consumer spending on travel agencies dropped for the third consecutive month in August. CaixaBank's Consumption Monitor showed a 5.7% decrease in August, following declines in July (1.5%) and June (3%), and a near stagnation in May (+0.1%). In contrast, spending increased for hotels (+7.6%), culture and shows (+8%), dining (+11%), transportation (+3.9%), while gas stations saw a -4.3% drop. Despite a positive summer, CEAV notes a slowdown in July and August reservations. DBK forecasts a 9% growth in the wholesale travel market in 2024, reaching €5.9 billion, down from last year's 17%. Retail agencies are also projected to grow by 9%, hitting €12.6 billion, compared to an 18.4% growth the previous year.

🏖️ Hoteliers in Benidorm are eager for the launch of a senior program parallel to Imserso in the Valencian Community, aiming to maintain operations during the off-season and "desestacionalizar la demanda." Hosbec's secretary-general, Mayte García, sees it as an innovative social program model and encourages establishments to join once it's officially unveiled. The initiative, similar to the "Bono-viaje" post-pandemic program, targets Valencian citizens and could offer a more lucrative option compared to the official 2024/2024 Imserso program, which García deems unprofitable with negotiations only improving by about one euro against production costs estimated at over 30 euros plus VAT.

🏖 Brujas, una ciudad de 120,000 habitantes, recibe diariamente cerca de 30,000 turistas, aumentando su población en un 25%. Debido a la presión del turismo y las protestas vecinales, la municipalidad ha decidido frenar la expansión de Airbnb y plataformas similares para proteger la calidad de vida residencial y controlar la escalada de precios de alquileres. La medida no modificará los alquileres existentes, sino que congelará su número.

🏖️ Andalucía's travel agencies report a "very positive" summer season with expectations met. Anticipated sales, especially early in the year, have slowed sales in July and August. First-semester revenues for agencies climbed nearly 10% from 2023, marking a 27% increase in the services sector. International tourist numbers in Andalucía until July 2024 reached 1,461,773, contributing to the optimistic outlook for the year's last quarter.

🏨 Marriott International Inc. tops the 2023 ranking of the world's largest hotel companies by sales volume and number of rooms. According to Forbes estimates, Marriott achieved approximately $24 billion in revenue. MGM Resorts International followed with $16.67 billion in sales. Others listed include Caesars Entertainment Corp ($11.44 billion), Las Vegas Sands Corp ($11.21 billion), and Hilton Worldwide Holdings ($10.52 billion). Adjusted figures from Marriott report a revenue of $23.713 billion for 2023, spanning across approximately 1.56 million hotel rooms globally under various brands.

🏨 Since January 2021, the AI Reservation Agent by Asksuite has generated over MXN$13,750,000 in sales for Camino Real Hoteles, achieving more than 3 times the ROI. The system offers 24/7 high-quality responses, comprehending up to 90% of the most common questions with AI. This has significantly improved customer experience and reduced the manual workload for the reservation team, allowing them to focus on strategic tasks and revenue-generating activities.

✈ Air Belgium may cease to exist in October if its financial situation doesn't improve. The airline's public search for investors yielded no takers, leaving it with a mere two weeks to survive. Air Belgium needs €18 million to stay afloat but only managed to secure €6 million. The current 35% owner, the government of Wallonia, has been asked to invest an additional €10 million, which seems unlikely. The company has been given a year to restructure, with the deadline approaching in two weeks.

🏝 Antalya, Turkey, surpasses Mallorca as the top autumn holiday destination for German tourists, with TUI reporting "the highest demand in history." TUI Germany's CEO, Stefan Baumert, highlights Antalya's "unbeatable quality-price ratio" over the Spanish island, where hotel prices have soared, leading to a post-summer booking decline. Other Mediterranean favorites include Creta and Cos in Greece, and Hurgada in Egypt. The fall of travel giant FTI and postponed trips during events like the Eurocup also contributed to the shift in tourist preferences.

✈ Lufthansa's CEO Carsten Spohr visited Globalia's headquarters in Llucmajor, Mallorca, to discuss the potential acquisition of Air Europa, following Iberia's withdrawal due to European Commission obstacles. Air Europa's appeal lies in its strong Latin American presence, lower operating costs than Lufthansa, and Mallorca base, creating synergy opportunities. Lufthansa has also moved ahead of IAG and Air France-KLM in buying a stake in Tap Portugal, aiming for an initial 19.9% to avoid scrutiny. A formal offer for Tap, between €180-200 million, is expected early next year.

🌍 Hoteliers on the Costa del Sol are optimistic about the potential for a direct Air China route to Andalusia. Javier Hernández, executive vice president of Aehcos, believes it would enhance Málaga Airport's status, opening up possibilities for routes to Korea and Japan. Málaga competes with Sevilla, offering advantages like 24-hour operations and handling over 36% of Andalusia's international tourists. Negotiations began after a meeting with Air China executives last week, aiming for a 2025 launch to boost high-income tourism, potentially increasing Chinese tourist arrivals in Andalusia by 188%.