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🎭 Walt Disney World Resort, located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, features four theme parks, two water parks, over 120 attractions, 50 entertainment options, 140 restaurants, and 31 hotels. Visiting during low seasons such as January, February (except Valentine's Day), May, and September offers lower prices and shorter wait times for attractions. The best strategy to save costs includes visiting during weekdays (Monday to Thursday) and taking advantage of special offers like "buy 4 nights, get 1 free." Disney World's dynamic ticket pricing ranges between $119 and $253 per person, depending on the park and date of visit. The resort attracts over 100 million visitors annually. A minimum stay of four days is recommended to fully enjoy the parks, and Disney World now offers a Lightning Lane Premier Pass, varying from $137 to $478 per person, for expedited access to popular attractions.

💰 The Agencia Catalana de Turismo (ACT) has launched a new financial aid program offering up to 30,000 euros for SMEs and startups. This initiative, part of the European BEFuture project, supports over 80 innovative European projects, including 15 from Catalonia, to promote sustainable, inclusive, and resilient solutions in the MICE tourism sector. Applications open online in the first week of December for two months, alongside a call for mentors to provide strategic advice. The program was detailed at the Global Innovation Forum in Barcelona.

🏨 Spanish hotels reached 33.9 million overnight stays in October, a 4.7% increase from 2023, with a 5.2% rise in the first ten months, driven by non-resident travelers, according to INE's Tourist Situation. Non-resident overnight stays grew by 6.7%, residents' by 0.1%. Top destinations: Andalusia (17.2%), Catalonia (12.2%), Valencian Community (11.6%) for residents; Balearic Islands (27%), Canary Islands (23.6%), Catalonia (16.7%) for non-residents. Mallorca led with over 5.7 million stays. 6.25 million foreign tourists accounted for 24.2 million stays, with UK and Germany at 25.2% and 20.7%. Hotel occupancy reached 62% in October, with weekends at 68% and Canaries the highest at 76.8%. Hotel prices rose by 5.3%, with one-star hotels increasing by 6.8%. Average Daily Rate (ADR) was €115.9, up 5.1%, and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) rose 7.5% to €82.2, with Marbella's ADR highest at €194.8 and Barcelona's RevPAR at €163.6.

📌 El Senado de España votó en contra del registro de datos de reservas del Ministerio del Interior, establecido por el Real Decreto 933/2021, previsto para implementarse el 2 de diciembre de 2024 a través de SES.Hospedajes. La medida obligaría a hoteles, agencias de viajes y rent-a-car a registrar más de 40 datos personales de clientes. El sector turístico busca otro aplazamiento, tras los ya concedidos: 2 de enero de 2023, 2 de junio de 2023 y 1 de octubre de 2024. El Real Decreto 933/2015, parte de la 'Ley Mordaza' de 2015, aún no ha sido derogado y sigue generando controversia.

🏠 Airbnb critica al alcalde de Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, por políticas turísticas y de vivienda, citando un 70% de aumento en precios de alquileres y un 60% en propiedades tras 10 años de moratoria de viviendas turísticas. La compañía destaca que hay 8 viviendas vacías por cada VUT en Barcelona y cuestiona el plan de eliminar VUT para 2029 mientras se prevé la creación de 5,000 nuevas plazas hoteleras. Un decreto ley del 20 de diciembre apunta a prohibir VUT en Cataluña, donde Airbnb ayudó a eliminar más de 7,000 anuncios ilegales desde 2018. En 2015, una moratoria detuvo la construcción de hoteles nuevos en el centro de Barcelona.

💸 Business travel spending is projected to increase by €360.4 billion in 2024, a 10.4% rise from 2023. Europe will account for 26.4% of the global business travel expenditure, reaching €1.36 trillion, despite still being slightly below 2019 levels. Countries like Spain, Greece, Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland have surpassed pre-pandemic spending levels. The global business travel spend is expected to hit $1.48 trillion by the end of 2024, exceeding the 2019 record of $1.43 trillion. In a GBTA survey, 22% of European business travelers prioritize reducing carbon emissions, higher than the 16% global average.

🏢 Monthisa sold "Montera 9," a 2,200 sqm mixed-use building, to a family office, with advisory by Savills. The asset features three commercial floors and four tourist apartment floors, with Grupo Numa managing 19 tourist units. Stamp opened a 1,100 sqm store, marking its expansion from airports to street locations. Madrid's real estate market retains strong appeal due to tourism growth, with high liquidity for well-located tourist assets.

🏖 Spanish hotels are focusing on sustainability, as confirmed by the CEHAT president Jorge Marichal. The "Triple Sustainability Indicators of Spanish Hotels 2024" report shows improved resource efficiency, job creation, and increased profitability. Greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 6.8% in 2022, water consumption dropped by 0.2% between 2020 and 2022, and land use by the sector grew only 0.5%. Employment reached 485,723 in August 2024, marking 2.39% of national employment. The hotel industry has invested heavily post-pandemic, with 4 and 5-star accommodations exceeding 55% in 2022. Average occupancy stood at 58.7%, and RevPAR increased by 15.6% in 2023. Debt is declining, and non-performing loan rates dropped by over one percentage point in 2023.

🍴 Costa Cruceros has developed a strategy to reduce food waste in line with the 2030 Agenda's goal to cut it by 50%. They implemented an informative campaign and reduced plate sizes. Kitchens now weigh waste and use fewer, locally-sourced ingredients. Excess food is refrigerated and donated to organizations like the Banco de Alimentos de Barcelona, which distributed 18 million kilos of food in 2023. Donations also occur in eight Mediterranean ports, including expanded efforts to Valencia and Palma.

🏢 Barcelona hosts IBTM fair focused on MICE & Business Travel, starting with high visitor turnout on Tuesday. IBTM Trends Report 2025 forecasts global economic growth of just 2.7% amidst geopolitical, economic uncertainties, and climate change challenges. Despite rising hotel and travel costs post-pandemic, Abu Dhabi and Italy's tourism leaders remain optimistic about adapting to new challenges and maintaining competitive MICE services. The fair began on November 19, 2024, in Barcelona.