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📍 On May 8, TecnoHotel OnTour stopped in Ibiza, gathering top professionals from the hotel and technology sectors. Daniel Sánchez, Chief Revenue Officer of Paraty Tech, delivered a talk titled "Atomic Habits Applied to Direct Sales: Small Decisions, Giant Steps," inspired by James Clear's book "Atomic Habits." He emphasized the power of 1% daily improvements and their exponential growth potential. Sánchez highlighted the importance of Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and A/B testing, as used by Booking.com, to improve conversion rates—suggesting that even increasing conversion rates from 1% to 1.1% can significantly boost sales from 10 million to 11 million. He also pointed out the neglected voice channel as a direct sales opportunity, recommending follow-ups on unanswered calls to potentially increase conversions by another 1%. Lastly, Sánchez encouraged hoteliers to explore new revenue streams beyond accommodation, catering to travelers seeking complete experiences.

🏖 Gabriel Escarrer, president of Meliá and Exceltur, recently announced a paradigm shift, stating tourism represents 26% of Spain's GDP, a figure previously estimated at nearly half. This recalibration includes broader economic contributions beyond just accommodation revenue, recognizing the sector's substantial impact on the Spanish economy. The new computation aims to more accurately reflect tourism's role as a major driver of prosperity in Spain, influencing various indirect ecosystems like agriculture, construction, and finance.

📆 Published on 13 May 2025, the article from "deHoteles" by Yermaín Chinea explores the dynamic role of event organizers in the hospitality, corporate, and tourism sectors. Event organizers are tasked with creating memorable experiences, managing every detail to ensure event success. Key functions include defining objectives, designing the program, selecting vendors, managing budgets, and post-event evaluation. Essential skills for success include effective communication, organization, problem-solving, stress management, creativity, and innovation. Education paths range from university degrees in Tourism, Communication, PR, Marketing to specialized Master's and technical courses. Event professionals must also be adept with technological tools like Event Management Systems (EMS) and Property Management Systems (PMS). Career opportunities are diverse, spanning hotels, marketing firms, event agencies, and freelance work, with the rise of virtual and hybrid events expanding the market for versatile, technologically savvy professionals. The article underscores that continuous training, specific skill development, and technology adoption are crucial for a successful career in event organization.

🎁 The Global Revenue Forum, co-organized by Pablo Torres and Cristina Blaj, will be held in Madrid for the first time on June 4. Pablo Torres leads Torres Consulting with 25+ years in revenue management, while Cristina is the founder of Open Revenue Consulting. The Forum was previously held in cities like London, Stockholm, Amsterdam, and Paris. The Madrid event will feature 35 presentations in one day across three simultaneous venues, including Madrid, Paris, and Amsterdam. Presentations will be in Spanish and English, addressing topics beyond traditional revenue management, such as sustainability, strategy, and operational planning. The forum targets hospitality professionals and aims to foster a collaborative understanding of revenue. It will also be Spain's first "zero waste" event, aligning with new laws on food waste prevention and implementing "The Pledge on Food Waste" protocol. Keynote speaker Conor Neill will open the event with a talk on persuasive communication for revenue managers. Nearly 300 professionals are expected to attend, with parallel sessions, networking opportunities, and a pre-event dinner for industry leaders.

🏨 Meliá Hotels International leads Spanish hotel chains' global presence, with 58,822 international rooms up to 2024, growing significantly since 1985. Minor Hotels Europe & America holds 44,789 rooms, stable since 2013. Barceló Hotel Group, with 44,640 rooms, expanded notably in the U.S. and Mexico after acquiring Occidental Hoteles in 2015. Riu Hotels & Resorts ranks fourth with approximately 40,000 rooms. Iberostar Hotels & Resorts rounds out the top five, holding 21,601 international rooms, stabilizing post-2018 decrease from a peak of 31,186.

📅 Beroni participó en el Congress Tecno Travel Agency el 8 y 9 de mayo en Madrid, organizado por UNAV. Cerca de 200 profesionales debatieron sobre el futuro de las agencias de viajes. Ingrid Graells Paul destacó en mesas sobre tecnología en gestión y ciberseguridad. Se discutieron desafíos tecnológicos y la importancia de la inteligencia artificial. El asistente virtual M.A.R.C.O. fue una innovación sobresaliente. El evento reafirmó el compromiso de Beroni con la transformación digital del turismo.

🛡 ASAE, the main union among the 1,100 Aena employees at Barajas Airport, demands that the Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo, address the crisis of approximately 500 homeless people living at the airport for months. The union insists on an immediate eviction, warning of a lawless zone in Barajas' parking and calling for cooperation among Madrid City Council, Government Delegation, Community of Madrid, relevant Ministries, and Aena to solve the issue.

🏆 21-28 May 2025, Bilbao and Wroclaw, key sports event cities. Kiwi.com reports a 500% increase in UK-Bilbao travel bookings by 19 May; 20x increase on 20 May. Post-Manchester semifinals, Bilbao searches spiked 160x and 25x. Tottenham’s games led to a 154x search surge from London. Wroclaw sees 35x Spanish search jump for Betis’s historic final. Football spurs tourism—Barcelona to Milan searches rose 500% in April. Supercopa boosted Spain-Saudi travel by 24%.

📍 Korean Air will establish a pilot direct connection between Málaga and Seoul in October, consisting of four round-trip charter flights. The operation involves Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with 291 seats in three classes. Estimated economic impact in Andalucía: €4.277.700, with Granada and Sevilla each receiving about €1.200.000, and Cádiz €611.000. This initiative is a result of tourism promotion efforts in South Korea by Málaga's tourism division.

🏨 Union Investment sold Barceló Raval hotel to German fund Real I.S. for approximately €70 million. Barceló Hotel Group, which opened the 4-star superior hotel in 2008 in Barcelona's old town, continues to manage the establishment featuring 182 rooms and 4 suites. In 2012, Barceló sold assets including Barceló Raval valued at €40 million. Real I.S.'s acquisition was financed by Deutsche Hypo - NORD/LB Real Estate Finance with advisory from Linklaters Madrid, Noerr Munich, BDO Madrid, Arcadis Madrid, and Savills. Union Investment received legal and fiscal advice from Pérez-Llorca Madrid and Colliers Spain for intermediation.