Distribución y Revenue Management

🏝 In 2023, overnight stays in short-term rental accommodations in Europe, booked via Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor, reached 719 million, marking a 20.5% growth over the previous year and a 40% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. France led with 159 million overnight stays, followed by Spain at 141 million. The summer months of July (16.1%) and August (17.4%) saw over a third of these stays, with significant seasonality variations among countries.

📆 Travel distribution in Spain evolved over 30 years with key events shaping the industry. In 1994, traditional agencies dominated, with Viajes El Corte Inglés and Halcón Viajes leading. Internet emergence in 1998 saw the first online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia enter the Spanish market. By 2000, Booking.com and Lastminute.com consolidated in Spain. The Euro was introduced in 2002, facilitating travel within Europe. The financial crisis in 2008 forced traditional agencies to restructure. Internet penetration exceeding 50% in 2005, further boosted OTAs. The 2011 Imserso program expanded to include affordable spa stays. In 2019, Thomas Cook's bankruptcy shook the industry, followed by Globalia and Barceló's merger in November. COVID-19 in 2020 devastated the industry, leading to rapid adaptation and promoting local tourism. By 2022, the sector began to recover, focusing on flexibility and safety. In 2023, Viajes El Corte Inglés exited the Soltour Travel Partners joint venture, and in June 2024, FTI Touristik declared bankruptcy, highlighting the ongoing dynamics in travel distribution.

🏨 Booking.com faced a CNMC fine of €413 million, the highest sanction by the regulator, for imposing unfair commercial conditions on hotels in Spain and restricting competition among online travel agencies (OTAs), thus abusing its market dominance. AEHM's complaint led to this ruling and prompted Booking to change its terms on June 13, effective July 1, including eliminating the "narrow parity clause," binding Spanish legal terms, and shifting judicial jurisdiction to Spain. AEHM President Gabriel García Alonso noted positive outcomes for Spanish hoteliers and market fairness.

🏖️ Coastal tourist homes in Spain have a reservation level of 84.9% for August, slightly up from 84.3% last year. Mallorca leads with 99.7% of homes booked, followed by Menorca (93.2%) and Asturias (90.8%). Inland tourism sees 90.5% of rural homes already booked for August. The most significant increase in occupancy compared to August 2023 is in Huelva, from 44.6% to 60.7%, while Menorca sees the biggest drop from 97.3% to 93.2%. Air conditioning (86.9% reserved) and pools (84.8% reserved) are the most sought-after amenities.

🚂 Viajes El Corte Inglés introduced train ticket sales on its website, enhancing its booking platform. Customers can now search, compare, and purchase from operators such as AVE, AVLO, Renfe, and Iryo in the "Trenes" section. The service allows for combining companies and includes high-speed and national routes, with plans to expand offerings soon. This move solidifies VECI's portfolio as one of Spain's most comprehensive in the tourism sector.

🏦 In Malaga, a tourism project envisioned a 200-room hotel potentially managed by prestigious brands such as Four Seasons, Mandarin, Shangri-La, or Ritz Carlton, aiming to significantly enhance the local hospitality offerings.

🏨 By 2026, the AI for Travel and Hospitality market is expected to exceed $1.2 billion. Accenture reports a 74% higher probability of profitability increase for the sector with AI adoption. Asksuite has exchanged over a billion messages, serving over 80 million via its AI reservation agents. Their upcoming release integrates with over 300 PMS and top CRMs, aiming to revolutionize end-to-end service. Discover more in their 1st Annual Report on Customer Service AI in Hospitality.

✈ Ryanair partners with Paxport, becoming their first "OTA Approved aggregator," offering transparent pricing for low-cost flights to associated online travel agencies (OTAs). Paxport customers gain direct access to their myRyanair account without additional verification. This partnership allows OTA partners to book across Ryanair's 240+ destinations. The collaboration aims to support Ryanair's commercial strategy by enabling controlled distribution to Paxport's approved subscribers, strengthening Paxport's commitment to the travel sector.

🏖️ Madrid exceeded one million tourists in August for the first time in 2023. The Asociación Empresarial Hotelera de Madrid (AEHM) reports an average hotel occupancy of 52% for August, with last year's final occupancy reaching 65.51%, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. International tourists, mainly from the USA, UK, Mexico, France, and Italy, represent 53% of the guests, with 61% a year ago. VP of AEHM credits Madrid's diverse gastronomy, cultural offerings, international events, and excellent connectivity for the tourism boost.

🏡 The Ayuntamiento de Valencia has granted Lovatres construction company license to transform Palacio de los Eixarchs into a hotel and tourist apartment complex. Starting within 6 months, the project must be completed in 24 months. Located in El Pilar, near Mercado Central, it involves rehabilitating buildings at 3, 5, and 7 Eixarchs Street plus two new structures. The complex will consist of the rehabilitated and expanded Edificio Eixarchs, the newly built Edificio Boatella for hotel use, and Edificio Valeriola for tourist apartments and a two-basement parking with access from Eixarchs. The first phase includes the palace rehabilitation, followed by the hotel construction, the apartment building, and finally the parking.