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🏥 Foro Hosteltur 2025, the XX edition, will take place on Monday, May 26, at the Meliá Castilla in Madrid, starting at 15:00. The event will feature over 10 CEOs and presidents from the Spanish tourism sector, discussing strategic transformation in times of constant change. Key speakers include Federico J. González Tejera, CEO of Radisson and Louvre Hotel Groups, and Francisco Pérez-Lozao Rüter, President of Hospitality at Amadeus. Registration is available for both in-person attendance and streaming for Premium users.

🎢 Costa Cruceros enriches cruise itineraries with Sea Destinations, enjoyed from the Costa Smeralda ship. Featuring LNG propulsion and advanced emission reduction technology, the ship also has sustainable systems like intelligent energy management and seawater desalination. Onboard, there's high-speed Starlink wifi and the only Italian Design Museum at sea. Weekly departures from Barcelona visit cities like Cagliari, Naples, Civitavecchia (Rome), Genoa, Marseille. Unique experiences include stargazing and themed breakfasts, with no need to disembark, included in cruise price. The Costa Smeralda offers 21 dining venues, collaborations with Michelin-starred chefs, and a promotion until June 15 includes free drinks and return train or bus to Barcelona from selected cities with balcony bookings.

🍴 Hostelería Madrid y ATA se reunieron para discutir retos de trabajadores autónomos en hostelería tras un apagón. Rosi La Loca World sirvió platos fríos y ofreció cócteles gratuitos hasta su cierre a la 1:30 am, convirtiendo facturación en propinas para el equipo. Grosso Napoletano se enfocó en la seguridad alimentaria y mantuvo comunicación constante con equipos en varias ciudades. Big Mamma en Madrid y Barcelona sufrió pérdidas de producto, Circolo Popolare estimó pérdidas de 1.000 cubiertos debido al apagón. Hostelería Madrid activó asesoramiento para preservar seguridad alimentaria y discutió la necesidad de reducir cargas fiscales y burocráticas.

🏠 Airbnb started 2025 with revenues of $2.3 billion in Q1, a 6% increase from the previous year. Despite Easter falling in March in 2024 and April in 2025 affecting year-over-year comparisons, the company saw an 8% rise in booked nights and experiences. A net profit of $154 million was reported, down from $264 million in Q1 2024, impacted by increased stock compensation expenses, private company investment losses, and lower financial profitability. Projections for Q2 2025 estimate revenues between $2.99 and $3.05 billion, a 9-11% growth from 2024. Airbnb plans to reveal its "more than accommodations" strategy on May 13th, with investments of $200-250 million in new growth initiatives for 2025. Over the past years, the app has been rebuilt on new technological architecture to support expansion, and since 2023, over 450,000 low-quality listings have been removed.

💸 In China, a VAT refund policy amendment allows immediate rebates at the point of purchase, boosting visitor numbers. Shanghai reports a 38% increase in visitor reservations compared to last year. The refund policy, now being pilot-tested in Shanghai, is available in 284 of 587 VAT-free stores, enticing shoppers with immediate reimbursements for clothing, food, crafts, phones, and laptops.

🏨 HM Hotels reopened the HM Jaime III hotel in Palma after a 6-month complete renovation. The update covered all 88 rooms and common areas, including an expanded spa, aligning with customer demand while emphasizing contemporary art and design. The redesign kept the hotel's signature black color theme and added modern furnishings and sustainability features. The café and restaurant areas were also modernized. CEO Toni Horrach highlighted the update's balance between meeting guest needs and environmental respect without losing the hotel's artistic identity.

📌 Juan Cierco, Presidente del Consejo de Turismo de la CEOE, propone 10 medidas para atraer y retener talento en el sector turístico, destacando la formación vinculada al empleo real y la formación profesional dual. Una jornada el 25 de abril abordó la "amenaza reputacional" que enfrenta el sector. CEHAT resalta la formación por competencias y el proyecto Pantour, que incluye 13 socios, busca alinear las necesidades de la industria con la oferta académica.

🏖 Nautalia (Travel Live) forms a temporary joint venture with Seniorplan to bid for the Imserso tourism program for seniors, excluding former partner Autocares Vera. They aim to challenge the Ávoris and Mundiplan duopoly. The tendering process starts after May 19, with separate bidders for coastal and island lots. New penalties for irregularities could reach up to €80 million, a significant increase from previous campaigns.

🚧 The blackout on April 28 caused disruptions at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, previously flagged by Senator Aniceto Armas who questioned airport infrastructure security. Aena confirmed all airports remained operational thanks to contingency power systems; Enaire highlighted the effective contingency plans. The incident led to the cancellation of 334 flights out of 6,000 scheduled in Spain. Concerns were raised regarding the airport’s North Substation security and the operational status of Electric Central 3.

🏕 Major Spanish hotel chains like Meliá, Iberostar, Barceló, and Riu anticipate high season growth, with Meliá expecting over 10% revenue increase from summer 2024 and Iberostar sales in Spain up by 14%. Riu sees a 35% reservation surge from Poland, while Barceló projects a 16% growth in Andalucía. Travel agencies also predict a strong summer, with Viajes El Corte Inglés and Ávoris reporting robust bookings in various destinations, highlighting Thailand, Japan, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Egypt, and Cape Verde.