Gestión Hotelera

📈 Best Hotels CEO Ramón Vernet, in an interview with Preferente, highlights the growing issue of absenteeism in the hotel sector post-pandemic, noting a concerning increase that can reach up to 30%. Vernet points out absenteeism raises service costs, disrupts operations, and affects service quality due to staffing imbalances in shifts. He identifies fraud in sick leave as a significant cause and calls for better control mechanisms and incentives to reduce absenteeism rather than penalizing employers. The problem exacerbates the ongoing labor shortage, potentially impacting service quality and competitiveness in the upcoming summer season.

🏨 The article discusses the importance of a strong relationship between hotel owners and managers, emphasizing mutual trust and leadership for independent hotels to thrive. The manager must be seen as a strategic ally, not just a subordinate, requiring the owner's full confidence to innovate and align teams for tangible results. Owners should set clear goals, provide resources, and support managers, as distrust can lead to chaos, micro-management, and high turnover, harming the hotel's identity and progress. To succeed, both parties should commit to a shared long-term vision, regular meetings, and transparent communication to not just compete but lead in the industry.

🏖 Coastal and island destinations in Spain saw a significant boost during Semana Santa, with sold nights increasing by 26% and 47% respectively compared to the previous year. Urban destinations also experienced an 18% growth in sales. The average rise in sold nights for Semana Santa was 29%, with the coast of Barcelona (+80%) and Costa Brava (+40%) leading the way. International tourism played a key role in demand growth, with notable increases from France (+109%), the UK (+43%), and the USA (+28%). The average daily rate (ADR) in Spain rose by 8%, with Costa del Sol and Fuerteventura seeing a 26% boost. The average length of stay increased slightly by 2%, while the booking lead time went up, especially in Mallorca and the coast of Barcelona, both by 28%.

🏨 Simón Pedro Barceló, co-president of Barceló, prefers the hotel business over tourism distribution, citing higher sales margins. Despite Barceló being the top Spanish tourism group in revenue, Ávoris's high volume, risk, and low margins during the pandemic led to hundreds of millions of euros in losses. Barceló aims to recover over €300 million in negative results recorded by Ávoris between 2020 and 2022, with a focus on profitability.

📊 A blog post excerpt highlighting that organizations should not assume silence from employees as contentment, and it's vital to proactively seek feedback to improve. By using Gallup's 12-question survey model (Q12) and additional queries like the Net Promoter Score (NPS) for employees, companies can measure engagement and climate. Surveys should be anonymous, include departmental data for segmentation purposes, and be conducted at least semiannually. Tools like niikiis facilitate quick survey distribution and response collection via mobile notifications and chatbots, ensuring efficient and effective data gathering for organizational analysis and improvement.

🏨 Soho Boutique Granada, a 4-star hotel with 31 rooms, a spa, and a farm-to-table restaurant, reinforces Soho Boutique Hotels' presence in Andalucía. CEO Antonio Gordillo emphasizes the aim to offer authentic, comfortable experiences with identity. CBRE advised on finding the operator. Nicolás Osuna, CBRE's Hotel Manager for Andalucía, notes the region's growing appeal to investors and operators, with over 5 openings expected soon, signaling a positive hotel market trend in Granada.

🚧 Simón Pedro Barceló, co-president of the Barceló Group, criticized the political authorities for their lack of involvement and understanding of the tourism sector, which he believes fuels anti-tourism rhetoric. In an interview with ABC, he mentioned the absence of references to tourism by the president of Andalusia's government, despite it being the region’s top economic activity and job creator. He also criticized the proposed increase of the ecotax by the PP government in the Balearics and rejected the responsibility of hotels to gather and provide private client data as mandated by Minister Marlaska's 'Gran Hermano' tourist initiative, stating no link between hotel stays and terrorism worldwide. Additionally, he linked the illegal vacation rental market to the housing crisis and the problematic insertion of tourism into residential areas.

✈ The British Labour government approved the expansion of London's Luton Airport, managed by Spanish firm Aena, to increase its capacity from 19 million to 32 million passengers annually. This comes despite environmental concerns and contrary to Urban Planning inspectors' advice. The expansion includes a new terminal to maximize the existing runway's potential. London Luton Airport Operations Limited, owned by Aena and investor fund InfraBridge, operates the airport. Nearby Vauxhall van factory, a major employer, announced its closure leading to 1,100 job losses. Aena's Alberto Martín welcomes the approval, predicting £1.5 billion in economic boost and 11,000 new jobs. Negotiations for the expansion terms are underway.

🏠 The Parador de Turismo de Limpias reopened on April 1 after a six-month renovation involving an investment of €2 million focusing on sustainability and customer experience. The revamp improved energy efficiency by installing a new aerothermal system, saving approximately 25% on energy bills, and upgrading pipes, fan coils, and a control BMS system. Exterior carpentry is being renewed for better insulation, two elevators were replaced, and a multi-sport court and a new fire group were installed. A significant decoration investment in the Palace building is set to follow. These reforms are part of a larger modernization project by Paradores, aiming to renovate over 50% of its network within five years with a €250 million investment, with around €14 million allocated for Cantabria's Paradores.

💸 Carlos Abella, Secretary-General of Mesa del Turismo, highlights a staggering 20-30% absenteeism rate in the Spanish tourism sector, especially in the Balearic and Canary Islands. In 2023, the tourism industry faced 1.2 million absences, a 5% higher average than other sectors. Abella cites a lack of inspections and an overwhelmed public health system, leading to potentially improper issuance of medical leave, as contributing factors. Despite these challenges, employment in Spain's tourism sector has grown, with an increase in fixed contracts and optimism for handling high seasons.