Gestión Hotelera

🐶 Meliá Hotels International launched "Pet Friendly by Meliá," allowing unlimited pet weight and increasing the number of pets allowed per room to two. Over 2,000 companion animals have been welcomed since the program's inception. Exclusive areas, pet-inclusive dining, welcome gifts, comfortable beds, and an online guide with pet-friendly services are provided. Partnered with Patasbox, they offer organic pet products. Service costs start from 25 euros per day, included in the final room rate on Melia.com. The program is available across various Meliá brands, with plans to expand.

🏖️ The Spanish Hotel Managers Association (AEDH) stresses the importance of tourism, contributing 14% directly and 19% indirectly to Spain's GDP, and calls for work tables for the tourism sector to address the rejection of tourism and promote the country's economic driver. Spain's tourism sector now enjoys a temporary employment rate of 7.9%, down from 37.9% two years ago, with 91.4% of contracts being permanent and over 45% full-time. Challenges include over-tourism, mismanaged off-season strategies, and the neglect of inland tourism over coastal tourism.

🚩 Barcelona witnessed a small-scale protest of approximately 2,800 people against tourism overcrowding on Saturday, July 6, which gained global attention. Protesters showed uncharacteristic aggressiveness by sealing off restaurants and hotels, squirting water at tourists, and shouting insults. International media from Germany, the UK, France, and the US reported extensively, with The New York Times advising readers against traveling to Barcelona this summer, highlighting residents' anger over housing shortages, overcrowding, and high living costs. A growing anti-tourism sentiment is noted across Spain, with increased graffiti and protests against unsustainable mass tourism.

🏨 Meliá Isla Canela, opened over a decade ago, reopens after renovations, anticipating an extraordinary season for the Andalusian coast, especially in Isla Canela. The hotel, dating back to 2000 and previously renovated in 2013, offers 358 rooms and is surrounded by over 10,000 square meters of native gardens. The refurbishment reinforces Saint Croix of Grupo Pryconsa and Meliá Hotels International's commitment to responsible tourism in Huelva province.

🔒 Smartway Connect, designed for hotel access management, allows hotel administrators to manage all electronic locks from a central control point at reception, integrating with certified systems like Oracle's Opera and Amadeus. Key components include the SmartWay software, programmable RFID access cards, a card encoder, a wireless remote for audits, energy savers to cut power consumption, and devices for common area access control. Benefits include enhanced security, integral and personalized management, system integration with hotel services, energy optimization, and compatibility with Windows XP or higher on Windows or Linux servers. Options for locks include RFID card or card plus Bluetooth technology. Smartway Connect and Perseo's electronic locks aim to revolutionize hotel security and operational efficiency, offering a complete and secure guest and staff experience.

🏨 The Piñero family, owners of Grupo Piñero, have started a new hotel project in Palma's El Terreno neighborhood, where they've been for 40 years. They aim to open the urban hotel between late 2025 and early 2026. The construction includes two buildings at 73 and 75 Joan Miró Street; one, dating back to 1932 by architect Francesc Casas Llompart, will be refurbished, and the other will be a new sustainable building with LEED and Passivhaus energy efficiency certifications. The hotel will offer 40 rooms, 20 in each building, and obtained a construction license in early 2022 for a 4-star hotel. The project emphasizes local talent and suppliers from Mallorca and will include spaces showcasing local artisans, artists, and designers to revitalize the neighborhood with cultural and gastronomic activities.

🏨 Grupo Inversor Hesperia (GIHSA) reported a revenue of €165 million in 2023, a 22% increase from 2022's €135.5 million. Pre-pandemic (2019) revenue was €137 million. After-tax profit stood at €4 million. In the first half of 2024, sales reached €88 million, marking another 22% increase. ADR rose to €153, surpassing the previous year’s €130, and RevPar grew by 29%. Net assets totaled €400 million, with asset values reaching €859 million. CEO Jordi Ferrer highlighted the company’s strong business model and growth. Renovations have been completed on several properties, and expansion includes entering Andorra and Valencia markets. A luxury hotel tower project in Málaga port is underway, set to elevate the city’s status.

🏢 Ferran Barona, a motivational coach, economist, and promoter of human growth, was interviewed about "Emotional Intelligence for Happier and More Successful Hotel Teams". The interview can be accessed on LinkedIn, YouTube, or preferred podcast platforms. Check out all interviews with industry experts on the niikiis blog.

🏖 Iberostar Beachfront Resorts evolves its brand with three new segments: Iberostar Waves, Iberostar Selection, and JOIA by Iberostar, focusing on different customer experiences. Phil Mc Aveety, CEO, emphasizes the brand's transformation and commitment to positive change through tourism. The Iberostar Selection Creta Marine and Iberostar Selection Albufera have already adopted the new identity, with Iberostar Waves Gaviotas Park set to open in August and JOIA Aruba by Iberostar becoming the flagship of JOIA later this year.

🎯 Shopping tourism in Spain surged with a 164% increase in non-EU visitor spending from June 2023 to May 2024. Spain ranks third in European destinations for luxury shopping, behind France and Italy. Non-EU tourists spent €2.5 billion in 2023, up 40% from 2019. The luxury sector accounts for 50% of Spain's tax-free shopping. Madrid witnessed a 163% recovery in spending post-Covid, followed by Barcelona's 116%. Average spend per person in Spain is €1,150, with Madrid's luxury shoppers spending €2,600 on average, compared to Barcelona's €2,400. Ibiza, Mallorca, and Marbella also saw significant spending recoveries at 467%, 227%, and 194%, respectively. Latin American travelers, who prefer Spain, spend €850 on average, while elite North American travelers increased their expenditures to €1,550.