Top News

📈 En 2024, el gasto en viajes internacionales de los españoles creció un 18%, alcanzando 18.095 millones de euros, el 34% de su gasto total en vacaciones. El gasto nacional fue de 35.101 millones de euros. El alojamiento representa el 51% del gasto, seguido por el transporte (30%) y los paquetes turísticos (19%). Las agencias de viajes online aumentaron al 20%, mientras las tradicionales se mantuvieron en 19%. ????️

💰 Barcelona, 2023: 15.6 million tourists visited, with nearly 3 million in tourist apartments. These accounted for 12 million overnight stays, averaging four nights each. The demand for non-hotel accommodations in Spain grew, with 142.6 million euros in overnight stays last year. Tourist apartments generated 1,928 million euros (1.9% of Barcelona's GDP) and supported 40,340 jobs. Proposals to eliminate them by 2028 could significantly impact tourism competitiveness and event hosting capabilities.

💻 95% of organizations are using AI, but 71% of leaders say employees aren't prepared. In Spain, 90% of executives have AI strategies, but 72% admit employees aren't ready. 57% note a lack of AI skills; 22% see resistance. Globally, 45% of CEOs find employees resistant to AI. Only 14% of companies, termed "AI Pacesetters," align strategies with workforce readiness. 76% prefer training current employees, but few succeed in effective training.

🏟 Atlético de Madrid has engaged Colliers to find a hotel operator for a new themed hotel near the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium. The proposal, awaiting public consideration by Madrid's City Council, aims to convert a failed aquatic center project into a 4-5 star hotel linked to sports, music, and entertainment. The club, alongside Oak View Group and Live Nation, seeks to build an auditorium and cultural event space. Project timing hinges on administrative approval, potentially starting late 2023 or early 2026.

📈 Madrid, 4 June: Over 250 industry professionals gathered for Spain’s first Global Revenue Forum, parallel to events in Paris and Amsterdam. Organized by Torres Hospitality Consulting and Open Revenue Consulting, the forum focused on innovative revenue management across technology, marketing, and sustainability. Key sessions featured experts like Pedro Barranco and Francisco Quintero, discussing direct channels and AI in digital marketing. Yogesh Ram highlighted a 25:1 ROI using Google Performance Max. The event emphasized strategic integration and enhancing profitability.

📅 ÁgoraTech 2025, en el Eurostars Sitges los días 28 y 29 de mayo, reunió a más de 200 profesionales. Innovación y conexiones humanas destacaron, con empresas como SiteMinder y Mews presentes. Enrique Dans del IE Business School habló sobre inteligencia artificial en hotelería. Luis Ferrinho de Omnibees valoró los *leads* y contactos generados. Actividades como yoga y coctelería crearon un entorno propicio. EY, Semic y Omnibees fueron patrocinadores principales. ÁgoraTech busca consolidarse como evento anual internacional.

📚 The focus on design has shifted from aesthetics to promoting well-being, with 74% of architecture professionals affirming its benefits. APE Grupo's report, "The New Habitat 26-27," highlights design's strategic impact on health and sustainability. With an 18.3% expected increase in design investment by 2025, clients are open to a 24.4% budget increase for sustainability. The report includes insights from 10 experts and 360 professionals surveyed in early 2025.

📅 España, verano 2025: hotel bookings up 1.5% against a global drop of 1.17% for June-August. Portugal sees a 3.09% rise. Regions leading growth include North Spain (+9.73%) and Andalusia (+2.40%). Average nightly rates hit €272.19, a 2.15% increase. The Bilbao BBK Live festival boosts city bookings by 87% with rates at €317.53, 28% higher than the previous week. SiteMinder’s webinar on June 10, 11:00 AM, addresses adapting to demand in 2025.

💻 Serenissima Informatica introduces protel Cloud, a new cloud-based hotel management system for 4 and 5-star hotels in Spain and Italy. This system offers over 1,100 third-party integrations using Open API and protel I/O. It features customizable, secure operations with multifactor authentication and data encryption. The intuitive interface reduces staff training time by 50%. The transition from protel on-premise to cloud is seamless, ensuring data integrity and service continuity. Advanced AI tools enhance guest experience.

💻 In June 2025, the HFTP CIO Summit EMEA in Barcelona highlighted the evolving role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in the hospitality industry. Leaders from major hotel brands like Rocco Forte Hotels, Cheval Collection, and Firmdale Hotel Group are integrating technology with strategy and culture. Key focus areas include AI for automation, data security, and personalized guest experiences. The shift moves CIOs from technical maintenance roles to strategic partners in business, operations, and customer engagement.