Tendencias del mercado

🏖️ In 2023, Europe's top 20 tourist cities saw hotel stays increase by 13.7%. London, Paris, and Istanbul were the leading cities in overnight stays, consistent with 2022. Spain boasts four cities in the top 20: Barcelona (7th), Madrid (8th), Palma de Mallorca (17th), and Sevilla (20th). The City Travel Report 2023 by City Destinations Alliance, including 117 European cities' tourism offices, provided the data, highlighting post-pandemic recovery. Abel Matutes Prats and tennis star Rafa Nadal plan to build luxury "branded residences" in Costa del Sol, with an investment of around €200 million. Vueling, Iberia, and Ryanair dominate Spain's online flight searches, with weekend usage peaking at 6.6 million users, according to GfK DAM's analysis since 2022.

✈️ Ryanair's CEO Eddie Wilson, in an interview with La Stampa, discussed aviation's current crisis and the company's long-term thinking, highlighting a 30% growth in 2023 due to early traffic resumption. Despite a difficult last quarter, Ryanair remains profitable, having ordered 300 new planes without leasing or debt, outpacing Easyjet and WizzAir in low-cost competition. In the fiscal first quarter (April-June), Ryanair's profits fell 46% with a 10% increase in traffic to 55.5 million, due to a 15% fall in fares, rising operational costs, and Boeing delays.

🏖️ In 2023, the "City Travel Report 2023" from City Destinations Alliance revealed a 13.7% average increase in overnight stays in hotels and accommodations across European cities compared to the previous year. London, Paris, and Istanbul remained the top three cities by overnight stays with 78.1 million, 52.4 million, and 29.7 million respectively. Four Spanish cities made the top 20: Barcelona (7th, 21.7 million), Madrid (8th, 19.9 million), Palma de Mallorca (17th, 9.7 million), and Sevilla (20th, 7.7 million). Istanbul experienced a 24.3% increase over 2019 figures, while Sevilla led Spanish cities with a 14% rise. Bed capacity in urban destinations grew by 4.6%, with occupancy averaging 46.8%. CO2 emissions from tourist travel saw a near 12% increase in kg of CO2 per tourist from 2022.

✈ Flying has become 39 times safer than it was in the 1960s and 1970s, with significant safety improvements noted by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Between 2018-2022, fatalities in air accidents were one per 13.7 million travelers, down from one per 7.9 million travelers between 2009-2017. In contrast, between 1968-1977, the risk was one death per 350,000 travelers, demonstrating the advancements in aviation safety over time.

🏖️ Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt, stands out in the resort renovation market with a 70% success rate in rebranding operational resorts, totaling 84 out of 121 properties in their portfolio. With brands ranging from Alua to Secrets, Inclusive Collection caters to various segments and boasts a network including over 46 million World of Hyatt members. Furthermore, 80% of property owners entrust them with multiple establishments, seeking to maximize asset returns.

🖥 Japan saw a tourist surge in July with 3.3 million foreign visitors, marking a 42% increase over July last year and surpassing three million for the fifth consecutive month. This upward trend suggests the possibility of breaking the annual record of 31.88 million from 2019. The July 2023 figure represented over a 10% increase compared to July 2019. Leading nationalities included China (776,500 visitors), South Korea (757,700), Taiwan (571,700), Hong Kong (279,100), and Thailand (53,500), with Spanish visitors up by 44% to 18,700. Tourism in Japan is further stimulated by relaxed COVID-19 restrictions and a weaker yen. To manage overtourism, Kyoto’s Gion district and Mount Fuji introduced restrictions and fees for tourists. Iberia will launch direct flights from Madrid to Tokyo on October 27, three times a week.

🏖️ In Spain, the rural tourism sector faces challenges such as occasional excessive demand in specific locations and short periods. Asetur President, Pedro Carreño, notes Spain has roughly 8,000 villages with about 15,000 rural lodging homes. INE data shows a 2.29% increase in overnight stays and a 3.23% rise in travelers in this market, with an average stay of 2.45 days. Las Médulas in León received 200,000 visitors in areas with only 500 residents. Issues also arise in rural hospitality with structural staffing shortages and noise complaints during peak tourist seasons.

✈ Tourist arrivals by air in Spain increased by 12% compared to the first seven months of the last year. Growth was concentrated in Valencia, Catalonia, and Andalusia, over 15%, with 7% in the Balearic Islands and 10% in the Canary Islands. The UK led with 22% of total arrivals, followed by Germany at 13%, half of which were to the Balearics. Notable increases were seen from the UK (8%), Germany (11%), and Italy (16%), with Poland surging by 55%, totaling 262,000 arrivals, nearly equal to the US. In July, Polish tourists grew by 38% compared to the same month the previous year, coinciding with significant operations in Spain by low-cost carriers Wizz Air and Ryanair.

🏖️ 74% of Canary Islands residents believe tourism boosts economic development, attracts investments, and promotes local products consumption, as per ECOSOC survey by ISTAC for Q2 2024. However, 70% acknowledge tourism raises the cost of living and housing, with 62% citing it causes precarious employment. Over half see negative environmental impacts, with 62.1% noting increased resource consumption and 57.1% irreversible ecosystem damage. Regarding a tourist tax, 43% support it, while 83% oppose it for residents on vacation in the islands.

🏖️ Comunidad Valenciana leads Spanish autonomous communities in tourism growth with a 15.9% increase over last year, followed closely by Catalonia at 15.4%, and Andalucia at 15.3%. The Balearic Islands lag with a 7% rise year-to-date and 4.7% in July. The UK accounts for 22% of Spain's tourists, over 13 million by August 1. Germans follow with 8 million (13%), Italians approach 5.8 million (nearly 10%), while France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, Belgium, and Ireland also contribute significantly. The USA remains the top non-European sender of travelers to Spain.