Gestión Hotelera

🎭 Travel Live (Nautalia) launched Ikigo by Nautalia, a rebrand of their events division, on March 18. Directed by Verónica Yunta Negra, the division aims to reinvent event design with a creative, innovative approach, contributing to 15% of the group's Ebitda. The new name combines "ikigai" and "go," symbolizing passion and progress. This follows Travel Live's December rebranding and Mapa Group Travel's brand restructuring.

🏠 In Valencia and its surroundings, tourism occupancy rates were 70% over the weekend, below the last four years' figures. Last Friday, bookings for Sunday, March 23, were just 58%, compared to 79% in 2024. The accommodation coordination service projects an 11% decrease in total sector revenue from last year, with 57% of business owners expecting a downturn and only 25% seeing an improvement. The shift is attributed to St. Joseph's Day falling on a Wednesday, impacting travel plans. Despite concerns in lodging, local consumption is expected to maintain restaurant business, and lower saturation may make the Fallas festival more welcoming.

🏨 Barcelona leads in hotel stays with 21.82 million overnight stays in 2024, maintaining higher occupancy (68%) and average rates (ADR at 173 euros, RevPAR at 141 euros) compared to Madrid's 20.89 million overnight stays, 61% occupancy, 153 euros ADR, and 115 euros RevPAR. Madrid saw a 4.3% increase in hotel stays, with international tourism up by 8.1%, while Barcelona's stays grew by just 0.7%. Barcelona's hotels employ 15,000 people and offer 92,400 places, surpassing Madrid's 13,350 employees and 86,300 places.

💸 Atomize, a Mews company, helped hotels increase RevPAR by up to 35%, ADR by 37%, occupancy, and saved 20 hours per month per revenue manager. In 2019, businesses lost 4.4% of their income due to chargebacks. Properties that adopted Mews’ ecosystem saw a 290% ROI over three years, a 31% decrease in human errors, 24% more efficient front desk teams, and a 7.3% increase in ADR. Mews Payments automates security and compliance, including PCI DSS, ISO 27001, and SOC2 certifications.

🏨 Fergus Group acquires four-star Pineda Splash and BPM Hotel Lloret, renaming them Fergus Club Pineda Splash and BPM Lloret Affiliated by Fergus. The Fergus Club Pineda Splash, situated in Pineda de Mar, Barcelona, is 300 meters from the beach, provides all-inclusive service, features an aqua park, three pools, and has a total of 278 rooms with 562 beds after combining with Beatrix apartments. BPM Lloret Affiliated by Fergus in Lloret de Mar, Girona, offers 100 rooms and maintains a unique character. The additions expand Fergus Group's portfolio to 32 properties across Catalonia, Andalusia, Canary Islands, and Balearic Islands.

🏨 Guest Experience Managers (GEMs) are key to hotel success, ensuring memorable stays to foster loyalty and attract new bookings. Their role involves managing guest interactions, implementing experience strategies, gathering and analyzing feedback, handling complaints, training staff, and personalizing services. GEMs face challenges like limited guest information, manual and bureaucratic processes, and managing multiple communication channels, which can hinder operational efficiency and the creation of personalized guest experiences.

🏖️ The 20th edition of Rutas Culturales de la Comunidad de Madrid offers 350,000 spots across more than 1,400 itineraries, including 423 national, 868 international destinations, 69 cruises, and 53 Christmas markets. Agencies like B-Travel, Camino Senior, Halcón Viajes, IAG7 Viajes, Nautalia, and Viajes Cibeles feature varied destinations. The Government of Castilla-La Mancha introduces a Social Tourism Program for 2025, with 277 routes for individuals over 55 years, providing reduced rates, full board, 3-star hotels, and cultural activities. Additionally, the Junta de Extremadura's 'Programa de viajes 55 y más' offers 152 destinations, including international spots, cruises, and islands, with similar perks and support from multiple travel agencies.

🏨 Efficient check-ins and check-outs in hotels are rapid, hassle-free, and welcoming, with no long lines or endless paperwork. An effective check-in improves guest perception, reduces anxiety, and shortens wait times. Satisfied guests are likely to leave positive online reviews and are more inclined to return. Strategies to optimize procedures include implementing online pre check-in, self-service kiosks, keyless entry systems (52% of guests want this), multitasking staff training, personalized experiences, flexible timings, and clear communication before arrival. Regular maintenance of technology ensures smooth operations. Mews offers cloud-based hotel management solutions to simplify check-in and check-out processes, enhancing guest experiences.

💵 VB Group, created in 2009, projects a €200 million turnover in 2023 and €500 million by 2028. Specialized in corporate travel, comprising 70% of their business, the company operates 15 brands across various sectors, including vacations and entertainment, with a significant presence in Latin America. They aim to expand into 32 key global markets within 24 months to achieve their 2028 revenue target. Last year saw a 30% increase in turnover, reaching €141 million, equating to €500,000 daily - the same amount the company made annually in its first year. The director general, Jorge Espinós, emphasizes that international expansion is crucial for growth. The company's strategy includes developing the VB Global Network, offering mobility and logistics solutions worldwide.

📍 Baleares Parliament will debate on Tuesday a strategy to counter tourism saturation, announced last Friday by Marga Prohens' administration. Exceltur's Vice President, Óscar Perelli, argues that the issues on the islands are due to demographic pressure, not just tourism, and urges a deeper analysis and management of housing, transport infrastructure, and waste management.