The end of the national emergency and ban on leisure travel in May saw a rapid rebound in hotel bookings. They rose from 57% on May 1, to 87% June 1, compared to the same periods in 2019. Today, Spain's hotel bookings have surpassed 100%. The strongest demand is in smaller cities.According to data from SiteMinder World Hotel Index, the volume of Spanish hotel bookings has returned to the levels it was two years ago.The end of the national emergency and ban on leisure travel in May saw a rapid rebound in hotel bookings. They rose from 57% on May 1, to 87% June 1, compared to the same periods in 2019. Today, Spain's hotel booking volumes have exceeded 100%. The strongest demand is in smaller cities.SiteMinder, the largest open hotel commerce platform in the world, reports that Malaga and Valencia have the fastest bounce back. They recorded 111% and 105% respectively of their hotel bookings compared to the previous two years. Sevilla, Madrid, and Barcelona are larger cities than they were pre-pandemic, but still have 94%, 89%, and 69% respectively. This is a reflection of a global trend where travellers are choosing to travel outside major cities. Four of these Spanish cities are among the top ten cities in Europe for hotel booking momentum. The global average hotel booking rate is 67%, which is 67% lower than pre-pandemic.These data show that international travel is on the rise. The percentage of international tourists in Spain has increased steadily since March. March saw 28% international visitors arrive in Spain. This figure increased to 31% in April, and 35% in May. The proportion of international guests in hotel arrivals is expected to surpass 60% by September, as it stands today.Portugal is outsold by Spain in terms of hotel booking volume recoveryIn recent months, both Portugal and Spain have seen strong recovery in hotel booking volumes. Portugal experienced a significant increase in hotel booking volumes on May 13th, reaching 93%. Spain was at 76%. This is in contrast to the two-year prior. However, there was a crossover on June 2, where Spain's speed of recovery outpaced Portugal's. Portugal currently holds 76% of 2019 book volumes, while Spain has 102%.Despite promising signs, not all countries of the region are recovering at a similar rate to Spain. Portugal is not the only country that is experiencing a slow recovery. Ireland and the UK are next, with hotel bookings at 91% and 74% respectively.Although the pandemic is not over, and each market in Europe is handling the effects of travel restrictions and vaccine rollouts uniquely, it is encouraging to see Spain's hotel bookings returning to pre-pandemic levels, as both Spaniards, and international travelers, book holidays and visits throughout the country.Padrosa says that there have been many short-term and long term changes in traveller preferences and behavior. Hoteliers must be aware of how these will change over the next months and years. This rebound is a positive sign that these changes are affecting the industry to redefine travel in Spain and the region. It also shows how the market is not shrinking. It's an exciting area to observe, and we were happy to see our hoteliers returning to their best job of greeting customers and delighting guests.Siteminder.com/worldhotel-index has more information.SiteMinderSiteMinder is a technology platform that empowers hoteliers in an age of increasing choice and accessibility for curious travelers. SiteMinder is the largest open platform for hotel commerce in the world. It's a technology innovator because of its simple and smart solutions that allow hotels to be wherever their guests are at all stages of their travels. SiteMinder has been trusted by more than 35,000 hotels in 160 countries to generate over 100 million hotel reservations each year, generating revenue of more US$35 billion. Visit www.siteminder.com for more information.Contact MediaMaria Cricchiola+61 28031 1287Media@siteminder.comDaily News Delivery Subscribe to your colleagues to stay informed about the latest trends and news in the Hotel industry. Subscribe2021 Hotel News Resource
