Tendencias del mercado

✈ Iberia Express launches sale on Madrid-Canaries route for autumn/winter season, offering rates from €36 for round trips between October and March 2025. Passengers must join the free Club Express for discounts and benefits. The airline surpassed 20 million passengers in Canaries, providing over 3.5 million seats for the year, up 16% from 2023 and nearly 40% from 2019, operating more than 50 daily flights including up to 9 to Gran Canaria and 10 to Tenerife.

🏕 In high season 2024, Turkey's tourism saw a 14% increase in tourists, particularly from Spain. Over 145,000 Spaniards visited in the first half, up 17.03% from the previous year. June alone saw a 26.98% jump. Turkey's earnings from tourism grew by 9.3%, reaching €21.6 billion. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that 23.8 million visitors were welcomed, a 13.9% year-on-year increase. Russia, Germany, and the UK were the top sources, with China's market growing by 111%. Cultural tourism thrived with almost 14 million museum and historic site visits, a 12% increase.

🏨 The top 10 hotel chains globally own about 77,500 establishments and 8.2 million operational rooms, with Marriott International leading with 1.56 million rooms across 8,566 hotels. Jin Jiang International ranks second with 1.34 million rooms in 13,250 hotels, and Hilton third with 1.18 million rooms in 7,530 hotels. Four Spanish chains and an independent hotel consortium are in the top 100, collectively offering 549,086 rooms in 4,517 hotels. Meliá Hotels International is the largest Spanish chain, ranked 25th with 92,057 rooms by the end of 2023.

🏄 Surf tourism in Spain has seen a 20% increase in tourists in the last five years, benefiting local economies. Notable destinations include Mundaka in Vizcaya, famous for its left wave and strong appeal to experienced surfers; Zarautz in Guipúzcoa, known for its long beach and consistent waves; and Razo in A Coruña, with its natural, unspoiled environment. Other highlighted spots are El Palmar in Cádiz, Famara in Lanzarote, Rodiles in Asturias, Somo in Cantabria, Las Américas in Tenerife, Pantín in A Coruña, and La Zurriola in San Sebastián, each offering unique surfing experiences for various skill levels and hosting international competitions.

💰 IAG, the parent company of Iberia, renounced the acquisition of Air Europa, which was followed by a 5% stock price surge. Financial data for the first six months showed strong performance with revenues up from 13.6 billion euros in 2023 to 14.7 billion. The North Atlantic routes, strongholds of Aer Lingus and British Airways, are thriving, prompting IAG to announce dividend payments. Profits remained consistent with the previous year.

🏖️ France led European vacation rental stays with 159 million nights in 2023, Spain followed with 141 million. Italy, Germany, and Portugal also topped the list. International stays in Spain reached 88.5 million, Italy 78.6 million, France 61.5 million, and Portugal 34.2 million. Travel restrictions during the 2020-2021 pandemic impacted overnight stays, but numbers rebounded surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2022 and grew further in 2023. Data is from Eurostat, sourced from Airbnb, Booking, Expedia Group, and Tripadvisor.

🏖️ En junio de 2024, España registró más de 14,1 millones de pernoctaciones extrahoteleras, un aumento del 5,3% respecto al mismo mes de 2023. Apartamentos turísticos alcanzaron casi 7 millones de pernoctaciones, con un crecimiento del 6,1%, y una ocupación promedio del 39,4%, alcanzando hasta el 43,6% los fines de semana. Canarias lideró como destino con 1,7 millones de pernoctaciones, mientras que Madrid tuvo la mayor ocupación con un 82,8%. Turistas no residentes representaron el 66,5%, siendo el Reino Unido el principal mercado emisor. Campings vieron 5,17 millones de pernoctaciones, un 5,3% más, con Cataluña como destino preferido. Alojamientos de turismo rural aumentaron pernoctaciones en un 5,6%, con Baleares en la delantera. Albergues experimentaron una leve caída del 0,3% en pernoctaciones, siendo Galicia el destino más popular.

🏖 The German Travel Association (DRV) forecasts a 6% growth in travel spending to €80 billion for the year, exceeding initial predictions of 4% growth and €78 billion expenditure. DRV President, Norbert Fiebig, notes vacations remain a high priority for Germans, with self-organized and tour operator trips included in the projections. Despite energy and living cost increases, factors such as higher disposable income and favorable job conditions have driven this positive trend. The Eastern Mediterranean and cruises are trending, while the European Football Championship in Germany boosts domestic travel. FTI Group's bankruptcy caused a spike in new bookings for organized trips. For winter 2024/25, a 4% sales increase to €26 billion is expected, with a 1% rise in traveler numbers. DRV's forecasts, released biannually in January and July, are developed with industry experts and based on historical and current booking data, as well as economic factors.

🏖️ European tourists plan heavy travel to Spain in August 2024, preferring destinations like Palma, Alicante, Barcelona, Tenerife, and Málaga. Flight searches for August 2024 are up 12% and hotel searches 14% compared to 2023. Germans and Portuguese favor Palma, while Britons, French, Italians, and Dutch prefer Alicante, Barcelona, Tenerife, and Málaga respectively. Barcelona, Alicante, and Madrid are also top choices among diverse nationalities.

🏩 In May, travel agencies recorded 70,260 employees, exceeding 70,000 for the first time and seeing a 6.6% year-on-year increase. Despite this growth, industry leaders like CEAV's Carlos Garrido and others highlight ongoing challenges in retaining qualified personnel, citing numerous factors requiring detailed study and solution seeking. Efforts to bolster the sector's appeal and improve profitability are seen as vital for enhancing employee retention and compensation, which is believed to still be below average. Training is emphasized as key for retaining and increasing talent, with initiatives focused on various skills, including global distribution systems, language proficiency, and environmental management.