Hotel bookings this winter in Spain are 107.56% higher than in 2019 for the first time since the start of the pandemic, according to data from SiteMinder's World Hotel Index.
According to the platform, these figures are the result of the strong growth in hotel bookings in recent weeks, as on December 23, 2021, these figures in Spain were only 73.16% of 2019 levels.
The data show that this significant increase demonstrates the strength of the Spanish hotel industry, which has made a significant recovery after the disruption caused by the omicron variant and the ups and downs of the market throughout the past year, also derived from the epidemiological situation.
The majority of hotel bookings made so far in February came from international travelers, 52.84%, a figure that exceeds that of the end of last year, when they accounted for 44.56%, and also the figures of January 2020 (48.43%) and February 2020 (45.72%), prior to the global travel slowdown.
Of all the reservations made in Spanish hotels during the last two weeks, 18.62% are for February, 29.9% for March, 18.14% for April, 9.9% for May and 21.48% for the summer.
Experts highlight that these data reflect both the strength of Spain as a winter destination and the transition out from the last-minute bookings that have been seen in the last two years.
The geographical distribution also shows the diversification of the tourism offer in Spain, which includes urban, rural and beach destinations.
Hotels in Barcelona recorded 118.77% of the 2019 figures, while in Seville the figure was 105.08%, in Malaga 101.92%, in Valencia 101.49% and in Madrid 93.44%.
In this sense, these figures are further confirmation that the recovery of the Spanish hotel industry is not limited to a specific season or destination but has sustained strength over time.