Top News

🏨 Atom Hoteles to reopen the renovated Hotel Sol Falcó in Menorca in April. The socimi is investing €1.1 million to refurbish the hotel's common areas, including 5,000 square meters, 8 pools, and a new Italian trattoria. Managed by Meliá Hotels International, the family-friendly hotel with 450 rooms will offer a Mediterranean design, improved restaurants, pools, and family spaces, enhancing the appeal to both national and international markets.

🏨 Over 60 international hotel chains offer room selection for a fee, similar to airlines' seat selection. 20% of customers using hotel websites pay to choose their room number, adding an average of €69 per selected room. Hotelverse, after a €5 million funding round in September, services 60+ brands, including Radisson, Iberostar, Barceló, RIU, Hyatt, and Palladium. Innovations include digital twins for room booking, leading to a 15%+ web conversion increase and a 70% rise in interest for premium rooms. Hotelverse introduces email reservation confirmation with 3D room selection.

🏨 Spain's hotel market closed 2024 with an investment volume of 3.3 billion euros. National capital represented 59% of the investment, while international investors contributed 41%. The average price per room hit a record of 195,000 euros, with the Six Senses Ibiza hotel setting a historic high at 1.7 million euros per room. Four-star hotels dominated with 58% of the total invested. Barcelona and Madrid led urban transactions with 572 and 589 million euros, respectively, while the Balearic Islands captured 42% of vacation segment investment. Hotel groups were the leading investors at 38%, while family offices and private investors held 30%. Noteworthy transactions included the acquisition of Hotel Miguel Ángel by Lopesan and Stoneweg and the record-breaking sale of Six Senses Ibiza. Christie & Co forecasts that 2025 might match the 3.3 billion euros of 2024, supported by economic recovery and an expected influx of over 94 million tourists.

🍷 The International Wine Tourism Fair (FINE) will hold its sixth edition on March 5 and 6 in Valladolid, expecting 85 tour operators and travel agencies specializing in contracting markets. The event features around 140 wineries, hotels, and wine routes from Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, and Slovenia, the latter participating for the first time. The fair includes conferences, round tables, and workshops, with global representation including the USA, UK, Germany, Australia, Argentina, Nordic countries, Mexico, and the Baltic states.

🏖 Record year for tourism in 2024, with Caribe and Canarias leading in bookings at start of 2025. Barceló Hotel Group CEO, Raúl González, plans to invest €500 million for asset growth and repositioning. Increased leisure time due to technology predicted to boost travel, with a focus on experiential tourism. Challenges include attracting tourists during the off-season and improving connectivity with North America and Asia. Spain's competitive advantage in the Middle East as both a sender and receiver market is noted. Geopolitical issues affect tourism, with potential positive/negative impacts from global conflicts. The development of artificial intelligence (AI) expected to significantly enhance productivity.

🌍 Benidorm ha sido designada como Pionera Verde Europea del Turismo Inteligente 2025 por la Comisión Europea, y Turín como Capital Europea del Turismo Inteligente 2025. Benidorm fue el primer Destino Turístico Inteligente Certificado del mundo en 2015 y ha logrado un Índice de Equilibrio de Estacionalidad del 84,6 y un Índice de Equilibrio de Producto Turístico del 64,7, con una estancia media de 6,2 días por visitante. Turín, destacado por su innovación y cultura, generó más de 32 millones de euros en eventos culturales en 2024 y alcanzó un Índice de Sentimiento de 89/100, con el Museo Egipcio y la Mole Antonelliana alcanzando 93/100 y 94/100 respectivamente.

🏕 RIU Hotels & Resorts, led by CEO Luis Riu, reported 2024 revenues of €4.082 billion with an average occupancy of 89%. RIU's sustainability strategy "Proudly Committed" achieved significant milestones: 70% of hotels using renewable electricity, 50% carbon footprint reduction within two years, and 80% of hotels sustainability certified. Their Mauritius complex, with 2,500 solar panels, exemplifies their commitment. The company's technology focus includes the "Elite Club" and expansion with projects like Riu Plaza Chicago. RIU plans 2025 openings in Formentera, Cancún, and Phuket, while Carmen Riu's retirement marks a new era with the fourth generation, Luis and Roberto Riu, taking on key roles.

🏨 SiteMinder's "Hotel Booking Trends" report identifies top 12 hotel booking channels generating the most revenue for Spanish establishments in 2024. Booking.com leads, followed by hotel websites (direct booking), Expedia Group, Hotelbeds, Jet2holidays, World2Meet, Keytel, OTS Globe, Airbnb, Agoda, Traveltino, and global distribution systems. Direct bookings rank second for the sixth consecutive year. Hotel websites averaged €476 per reservation, outperforming OTAs (€293), global distribution systems (€348), and wholesalers/DMCs/tour operators combined (€409). Agoda re-entered Spain's top 12 in 2023, boosted by increased arrivals from Asia. SiteMinder's annual report is based on over 44,500 hotel clients' data, securing over 125 million bookings worth over $50 billion in 2024.

🌱 Kora Green City, located in Vitoria's Plaza del Renacimiento, operates with Passivhaus certification and uses 100% renewable energy. Annually, it avoids 314 tons of CO₂ emissions, saves 75% in energy, and generates 27,000 kWh of solar energy with 58 panels. In 2022, 26 solar panels were installed, followed by 32 in 2023. Guests receive a WhatsApp message at check-out about their positive environmental impact, thanks to a system developed with Hijiffy. Kora Green City offers flexible living options and community spaces for various events. Kepa Apraiz, CEO of Kora Living, emphasizes the brand's commitment to sustainable tourism.

🏖️ The travel experience sector in Spain outperformed global growth in 2024, with 50% of Spanish operators reporting growth compared to 38% globally. Optimism for 2025 is higher among Spanish operators at 74%, versus 62% worldwide. Digital bookings in Spain account for 58%, with 25% through operator websites and 33% via online travel agencies. Spanish operators utilize advanced booking systems (68%), connect with resellers through APIs (46%), and experiment with AI (43%). Arival 360 | Valencia, sponsored by Civitatis, will be held from April 28-30, 2025 at the Palacio de Congresos de Valencia, emphasizing innovation in the industry. Spanish operators work with an average of 10 distribution partners, highlighting the role of OTAs in Spain's market.