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🏡 Forbes selected the world's top 20 charming small hotels in locations like Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Greece, Mexico, Spain, and others, highlighting places that offer a homey atmosphere. A Quinta da Auga in Spain has 51 rooms, while Anandes in Greece offers 42 rooms with private pools. Anders Mountain Suites in Italy boast 7 suites at 1850m altitude. Boca de Agua in Mexico features 26 treehouse rooms, Casa Palacio Don Ramón in Spain has 26 themed rooms, and Grand Hotel Son Net offers 31 rooms with expansive facilities. Grove of Narberth in the UK provides 25 rooms with spa treatments, Huka Lodge in New Zealand reopens with 20 rooms, Izza in Morocco includes 14 rooms with three courtyards, Kotiyagala Luxury Villas in Sri Lanka has 12 private pool villas, Maison 1896 in France offers 16 rooms in a wine region, Mollie Aspen in the US has 68 rooms with a rooftop spa, Palacio de Arriluce in Spain boasts 49 rooms and suites, Singer Palace Hotel in Italy presents 29 rooms with Italian cuisine, Solar dos Cantos in Portugal provides 16 rooms surrounded by green, Son Vell in Spain has 33 rooms on a large estate, Tawana in Botswana offers 8 suites with safari experiences, The Weston in the US features 9 rooms with

🏨 In 2023, the top 20 Spanish hotel chains exceeded 453,960 rooms, a significant growth from 357,806 rooms in 2013, mainly across Europe and the Caribbean. Meliá Hotels International leads with nearly 30,000 more rooms than Barceló Hotel Group and 35,900 more than NH Hotel Group. Barceló, now the second largest, added 17,715 rooms from 2016 to 2017, reaching almost 62,000 rooms at the end of 2023. Sercotel and Fergus Group experienced substantial growth, with Sercotel nearly sextupling its room count in a decade.

🏨 The Spanish hotel market experienced an "extremely positive" 2023, with the investment market remaining robust in the first half of 2024, as reported by Christie & Co. Investment in hotels approached €1.5 billion, a 30% increase, with one out of three euros channeled into the luxury segment. Notable transactions included Travelodge acquiring six Louvre Hotels in Spain and the sale of the Palacio Solecio hotel in Malaga for €51 million. The second half of 2024 is expected to see a progressive increase in product availability and transaction volumes across Europe, with steady returns and a focus on economic and luxury segments. Despite a temporary dip due to general elections, pre-summer activity has surged, indicating a potential move towards a more liquid transactional market for the rest of the year.

🍴 Spain's restaurant sector, representing 3.9% of the economy, includes 232,000 companies and 264,000 establishments as of 2023. Over the past decade, the number of companies fell by 10%, with a notable 19% drop in bars and cafes. However, catering services grew by 25%. The sector's annual turnover reached €230,000 per company in 2022, with restaurants earning the highest average at €436,000. Tourism plays a significant role, with 30% of establishments highly dependent on it. Employment in the sector increased by 15.3% since 2021, now comprising 7% of Spain's total workforce. Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain surged by 43% since 2019, totaling 272. Madrid, Canarias, and Baleares have the highest concentration of establishments, with Madrid alone boasting 4.4 per square kilometer.

📍 Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Meliá Hotels International, reflects on the company's 30-year evolution, including stock market launch, acquisitions, survival of 2008 financial crisis and 2020 pandemic. Spain's beaches face a protest over sand loss, with demonstrations planned across 50 locations on Saturday at 12:30 pm. Henley & Partners' Passport Index ranks Singapore's passport as the most powerful, with visa-free access to 195 destinations, while Spain falls to second place with access to 192. The Airbus A321XLR received its European certification, set for service with Iberia by late summer, and another certification expected in late 2024. Aegean Airlines plans a historic first flight to Gran Canaria in 2025. Musical tourism in Spain generates €578 million, with major festivals attracting thousands. Ryanair partners with OTA Braganza for flight sales. The Meliá Collection debuts on the Peninsula with a new hotel in Madrid and plans for Ronda in 2026. Takyon, an Italian startup, introduces a platform in Spain for reselling prepaid hotel reservations. Simón Pedro Barceló, co-president of Grupo Barceló, was honored as the Tourism Personality 2023 by Hosteltur.

🏖 Over two million British tourists are set to travel abroad during the "great summer getaway" of 2024, from July 26-29, coinciding with the start of summer holidays for all schools in the UK. Spain, especially Costa del Sol, Baleares, and Canarias, remains the top destination for the British market, followed by other European countries and cities like Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Cyprus, Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, and Lisbon. Southeast UK airports Heathrow and Gatwick, along with Stansted and Luton, anticipate high traffic, expecting 200,000 and 116,000 passengers respectively, while Manchester will see 210,000 departures, and Bristol will manage about 75,000. ABTA advises travelers to follow their airline's recommendations and to secure travel insurance.

🏡 In Málaga, the city council will request the deregistration of 1,120 tourist accommodations from the Andalusian Tourism Register for non-compliance with independent access and services as mandated by the Urban Plan for Tertiary Services. Announced by Mayor Francisco de la Torre in June, post a decree in February, this move is seen as a step to regulate and ensure compatibility with the well-being of residents, explained by Urban Planning Councilor Carmen Casero.

🏨 Hoteles Bestprice reported a record €1.61 million operational profit for the first half of the year, a 49% increase from 2023. The company achieved over €3.47 million in revenue, a 46% operational margin, and is expanding with new establishments in Madrid, Barcelona, and Málaga, taking their hotel portfolio to 10. Occupancy rates consolidated at 93% with a €101 average daily rate (ADR), and revenue per available room (RevPar) soared to €94.32. The company's assets saw a 131% value increase from €5.69 to €13.15 million, with a cash position of €4.25 million. Debt stands at €6 million, 1.87 times projected Ebitda, while the market cap is €85 million on Euronext Paris. Hoteles Bestprice forecasts €7 million in revenue for the year, with occupancy rates nearing 100% and margins above 50% some months.

🏠 En 2024, 48% de los viajes a España se reservan con más de dos meses de antelación, dominando las estancias de 4-7 días (32,66%) y 8-14 días (27,66%). Los viajeros son principalmente individuales (33,6%), parejas (29,6%), y familias (36,6%). España experimenta un crecimiento de reservas de vuelos domésticos (+3%), europeos (+4%), e internacionales (+14%) en comparación con 2023, siendo Alemania (15%), Estados Unidos (13,5%), y España (12%) los países con más búsquedas de vuelo. Entre los destinos europeos más reservados, Mallorca ocupa el 2º lugar, seguido de Málaga (7º), Madrid (9º), y Barcelona (12º).

🛫 14% of solo female travelers enjoy trips without companions, creating a growing market for tourism products and services. Mabrian and The Data Appeal Company analyzed this demographic, revealing five key insights. Most solo travelers prefer June and September, indicating potential during the mid-season. In 2023, Italy saw a 1.1% increase in solo female tourists since June, expecting them to account for 21.7% of tourist arrivals within six months. European capitals like Paris, Amsterdam, and London anticipate 30% of their visitors will be solo female travelers in the next semester. The top origin countries include Germany, the UK, France, the USA, and Italy, with over 30% of German and British flight reservations for solo women traveling this summer. Three-quarters choose domestic destinations, with online reputation scores slightly below the traveler average. Safety is a significant factor, with destination cities perceived as safe, scoring between 85 and 98 out of 100 on the Mabrian Safety Perception Index (PSI). Spanish, Italian, and Japanese women are the most adventurous, with nearly half of Spanish solo travelers choosing international destinations. Urban destinations are preferred, with nine out of ten favorite cities located in Europe.