MADRID, 21 (EUROPA PRESS)

Hotel reservations grew by 17% in Spain this summer compared to record 2019 figures, being a European nation, followed by Portugal, Italy and the United Kingdom, where they grew the most, according to new data from SiteMinder’s World Hotel Index.

The increase in sales is due to the fact that international tourist demand at the summer gate has increased and accounts for 55% of bookings, compared to 53.6% last year.

As such, international travelers have increased their participation in the number of reservations in Spain so far this year with respect to 2022, demonstrating their confidence in the destination. The British, French, Germans, Italians and Dutch are the ones who travel to Spain the most.

In addition, data shows that 63% of reservations made in the last two weeks were for holidays in June or July, while only 13% were suitable for August. In the last year, travelers have gone from an average booking of 22 days in advance to 33 days, a sizeable increase.

The growth in bookings comes despite rising inflation and accommodation prices, which have increased by an average of 12% in hotels, according to SiteMinder.

LAST MINUTE OFFER

Regarding last-minute deals, the regional director of hotel trading platform Sla for Spain, Sara Padrosa, has pointed out that “reservation behavior has been constantly changing in recent years due to diverse and complex circumstances, it is therefore more important than ever that hotels are always dynamic and ready to new trend”.

A rare last-minute offer related to the efficiency of the accommodation getting new clients, according to Padrosa. “Hundreds of Spanish hotels have incorporated technology in recent years that helps them attract tourists anywhere in the world and optimize their rates,” he added.