U.S. market leads in hotel bookings for next quarter in Destination Barcelona once again

The Barcelona Tourism Observatory: city and region publishes the outbound markets report for the last quarter of 2024. This report includes a review of the air connectivity, the holidays calendar, the online interest and positioning, and the status and characteristics of hotel bookings in Destination Barcelona of the main source markets. 

These are the key highlights of this report’s edition:

• All the source markets analysed record Christmas school holidays. Moreover, Germany, the UK, France and the Netherlands will register mid-term school holidays.
• Destination Barcelona has maintained its positioning in the main source markets in online searches for flights.
• Hotel bookings for stays during Autumn show shorter lead times than bookings for the Summer months and a lower average length of stay. The Germans are those who register longer stays.
• The United States is the international market with the most bookings, even more than the domestic market in Barcelona city. 

The main conclusions of the report, by source market, are detailed below.

 

Germany

• The German cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport keep being Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin.
• The Destination has ranked 5^th in internet searches for flights in the ranking of international destinations. This last positioning has been slightly lower than that of the last outbound markets report.
• During the last quarter of 2024, there will be school holidays from 14/10 to 27/10 and in Christmas, from 23/12.
• The region showing the greatest online interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days has been Berlin and Sagrada Familia has kept being one of the most popular search terms, while in Destination Barcelona, Sitges stands out as the most popular searched term. 
• The level of hotel bookings from Germany for Autumn is lower than in the same period last year for both Barcelona city and Barcelona region. 
• On average, Germans have booked more than 4 months in advance for these dates and will stay around 4-5 nights. Couples will be the most likely travellers in Barcelona city, while in Barcelona region, travelling as a solo will be the most frequent.
• Hotel bookings in Destiantion Barcelona are at a lower level than in other European destinations (excluding Berlin).

 

Spain

• The Spanish cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, and Madrid.
• The Destination has achieved the 2^nd place in internet searches for flights, within the ranking of national and international destinations, maintaining its positioning since the last published outbound markets report.
• During the last quarter of 2024, school holidays will be in Christmas, from 23/12.
• The region that has shown the greatest online interest for both Barcelona city and Barcelona region over the last 90 days has been Catalonia. The most popular search terms were Sagrada Familia, beaches and several coastal destinations.
• The level of hotel bookings for the last quarter of 2024 from Spain is, overall, higher than that of the same period last year. It must be highlighted that Spain stands as the first source market in volume for stays in Barcelona region, with more than 45% of the bookings, and second in Barcelona city, with a 14%-share.
• On average, Spaniards have booked about 4 months in advance for these dates and stays will be around 3 nights. Both indicators are lower than in the previous outbound markets report, which analysed bookings for the Summer season. Travelling as a couple will continue to be the most common type of trip.
• The level of hotel bookings in Barcelona region is ahead of bookings of other destinations analysed, yet behind those of Madrid. However, those in Barcelona city are similar to the average.
   

United States

• The US cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are New York, Chicago and San Francisco.
• The Destination has ranked 19^th in internet searches for flights in the ranking of international destinations. It should be borne in mind that many Americans arrive in Destination Barcelona from other European cities.
• During the last quarter of 2024, school holidays will be for Thanksgiving, from 28/11 to 01/12, and in Christmas, from 24/12.
• The region showing the most interest online in Barcelona city over the last 90 days has been the District of Columbia. The most popular search terms has been Sagrada Familia.
• The level of hotel bookings for October from the United States is quite ahead of the same period of 2023, while in November is slightly below. It should be highlighted that this is the market with the highest number of bookings for the next quarter in Barcelona city (27% of share) and one of the most important ones in Barcelona region (14% of share).
• Americans have booked on average 4-5 months in advance. The average stay will be 3.5 nights in Barcelona city, quite lower than summer bookings. Couples will be the most frequent travellers.
• Hotel bookings for Barcelona city are similar to the average for other European destinations, while for Barcelona region, they remain well below the average.

 

France

• The French cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are Paris, Nice and Nantes.
• Destination Barcelona has maintained its positioning in internet searches for flights in the ranking of international destinations, compared to the last source market report: it has ranked 2^nd.
• During the last quarter of 2024, French schools will register mid-term holidays by regions, from 19/10 to 04/10, and in Christmas, from 23/12.
• The region showing the greatest online interest in Destination Barcelona over the last 90 days has been Îlle de France, and for Barcelona city, Languedoc-Roussillon​. The most popular searched terms have been Sagrada Familia, Sitges, and Castelldefels.
• The level of hotel bookings for the last quarter from France is, on the whole, higher than for the same period of 2023. Moreover, a peak of bookings in Barcelona city during the last weeks of October, and another one in Barcelona region for the first week of November have been observed, coinciding with the mid-term holidays.
• On average, the French have booked near 4 months in advance for these dates. Stays will be 3.6 nights-long. Solo travel will be the most frequent in Barcelona region, while in Barcelona city, family travel will be the most frequent.
• The level of hotel bookings for both Barcelona city and Barcelona region is slightly lower than the average for other European destinations (excluding Paris).
   

Italy

• The Italian cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport keep being Rome, Milan, and Venice.
• The Destination has ranked 3^rd in internet searches for flights in the ranking of international destinations, losing one position in relation to the last outbound markets report.
• During the last quarter of 2024, school holidays will be in Christmas, from 23/12.
• The region showing the greatest online interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days has been Laci. The most popular search term has been the “sea“, followed by the “beaches”.
• The level of hotel bookings for the next quarter from Italy is above the same period in 2023 in Barcelona city, while in Barcelona region only the bookings for October are clearly ahead of last year’s.
• On average, Italians have booked 3 months in advance for these dates. Stays in Autumn will be 3.3 nights in the city of Barcelona and 2.3 nights in the region, quite lower than Summer bookings. Couple holidays will be the most common.
• The level of hotel bookings for Barcelona city is close to the average for other European destinations (excluding Rome), while Barcelona region bookings are below.

 

The Netherlands

• The Dutch cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport keep being Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Rotterdam.
• The destination has ranked 2^nd in internet searches for flights, maintaining its positionioning compared to the previous outbound markets report.
• During the last quarter of 2024, there will be mid-term school holidays by areas of the country, from 19/10 to 03/10, and in Christmas, from 21/12.
• The region showing the most interest online in Barcelona city over the last 90 days has been Noord-Holland. The most popular search term has been Sagrada Familia.
• The level of hotel bookings for the next quarter from the Netherlands is on the whole higher than the same period last year. 
• On average, the Dutch booked more than 4 months in advance for these dates. Stays will be 3.2 nights in Barcelona city and 5.0 nights in the region. Couples and families will be the most likely travellers in Barcelona city, while in Barcelona region, solo travellers.
• The level of hotel bookings for both Barcelona city and Barcelona region is slightly below the average of bookings for other European destinations (excluding Amsterdam).

 

United Kingdom

• The British cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are London, Manchester, and Bristol.
• Te destination has achieved the 8^th position in internet searches for both flights in the ranking of international destinations, maintaining its positionioning compared to the previous outbound markets report.
• During the last quarter of 2024, there will be mid-term school holidays in different regions of the country, from 14/10 to 01/11, and in Christmas, from 22/12.
• The region showing the most interest online in Barcelona city over the last 90 days has been Northern Ireland, and in Barcelona region, England. The most popular search terms have been Sagrada Familia and Sitges.
• The level of hotel bookings October from the United Kingdom is higher than that of the same period last year in both Barcelona city and Barcelona region. However, in November only the bookings from Barcelona region are ahead of last year’s.
• The British have booked between 3-4 months in advance for these dates. Stays will be 3.2 nights in Barcelona city and 3.9 nights in Barcelona region. Couple holidays will be the most common in Barcelona city, and solo travelling the most frequent in Barcelona region.
• The level of hotel bookings in Barcelona city is close to the average of bookings for other European destinations (excluding London), while in Barcelona region, they are slightly behind them.

 

More information: Outbound markets in Destination Barcelona 2024 – IV