The summer will be very positive for tourism despite the price increases, but the economic context will “weaken” reservations from the autumn
Inflation is pushing up hotel prices, but that won’t slow down occupancy this summer, which in areas like the Balearic Islands has already reserved 70% of its accommodation since June. Although the average price of a room has increased by 25% from last year – according to data from the INE for the month of May – the “immense desire to travel” will cause the summer season to reach the record level of the summer of 2019. , before the pandemic.
The arrival of international tourists at the same pace as then and the total recovery of national tourism will make the summer an exceptional moment for hotels, the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations (Cehat) confirmed on Thursday. In addition, they assure that the rise in prices has accelerated reservations. “Buying at the last minute is becoming more expensive and the Spaniards have realized that and are anticipating their purchases,” the organization’s president Jorge Marichal revealed during the report’s presentation.
But those reservations still show a high level of cancellations compared to those in 2019. Although they have halved compared to the number of cancellations as of July 1, 2021 (43%), they are still 19% higher than before the pandemic. “The economic instability and the rise in prices are causing reorganisations in the travel industry, the context weighs on some concerns,” they explained from Cehat.
It should also be borne in mind that the pandemic has changed the habits of consumers, who book their vacations but wait until the last minute to decide whether they will ultimately go to that destination. Since covid, hotels have a more flexible cancellation policy that also encourages this change in the way of booking. “You never know which would have been better, maybe without this flexibility to cancel reservations today we wouldn’t have the intention of traveling due to the lack of confidence in the industry,” explains Marichal. Added to all this are the strikes by the workers of some airlines for this summer and the cancellations of thousands of flights in Europe due to lack of staff, triggering cancellations due to fears that flights will run out.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
