Spanish market leads hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2025 in Destination Barcelona

The Barcelona Tourism Observatory: city and region publishes the outbound markets report for the first quarter of 2025. In general terms, there has been a year-on-year decrease in hotel bookings for the period analysed, for Barcelona city and an increase, for Barcelona region. Peaks coinciding with certain events in Destination Barcelona (e.g. ISE or MWC) and holidays in the various countries have also been observed.

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.
• During the first quarter of 2025, there will be school holidays for Christmas, until January the 12^th.
• The region showing the greatest interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days was Hamburg. The most popular search terms have been the weather and Sagrada Familia.
• The Destination ranked 11^th in internet searches for accommodation and 7^th for flights in the ranking of international destinations. This positioning has improved year-on-year.
• The level of hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2025 from Germany is higher than the same period in 2023 for Barcelona region, yet lower for Barcelona city. Several peaks in bookings in thoughout February and March in Barcelona city have been observed, while in Barcelona region there is a peak during the last week of March.
• Germans have booked, for these dates, an average of near 4 months in advance. Stays will be around 3.6 nights in Barcelona city and 4.7, in Barcelona region. Solo travelling will be the most frequent in Barcelona city, and as a couple, in the region.
• The level of hotel bookings in both Barcelona city and Barcelona region is slightly below the average of bookings for other international European destinations (excluding Berlin).

 

Spain

• The Spanish cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, and Ibiza.
• During the first quarter of 2025, school holidays will be for Christmas, until January the 7^th.
• The region that has shown the greatest interest in Destination Barcelona over the last 90 days has been Catalonia. The most popular search terms were Sagrada Familia, the weather, the hotels, the parks, and several destinations such as Sitges, Castelldefels, Cubelles or Montserrat.
• During the same period of analysis, the Destination has maintained the 2^nd position in internet searches for accomodation, and it has achieved the 3^rd for flights, within the ranking of national and international destinations.
• The level of hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2025 from Spain is also ahead of last year’s same period in Barcelona region, but behind in Barcelona city. It must be highlighted that Spain stands as the first source market in volume for stays in the next few months Destination Barcelona  (22.4% of bookings in Barcelona city and 55.4% in Barcelona región).
• Spaniards have booked, for these dates, an average of more than 4 months in advance and stays will be around 2.3 nights long in Barcelona city, and 2.0 in the region. Travelling as a couple will remain as the most frequent way of travelling.
• The level of hotel bookings in both geographical areas is below the average of bookings for other destinations analysed, also behind those of Madrid.

United States

• The US cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are New York, Miami, Atlanta, and Philadelphia.
• During the first quarter of 2025, school holidays will be the last but one week of February. In addition, Americans will have several public holidays during these months, such as 20/01 and 17/02, both Mondays.
• The region showing the most interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days was the District of Columbia. The most popular search terms were Barcelona and Sagrada Familia, and in Destination Barcelona, Montserrat.
• During the same period of analysis, the Destination ranked 9^th in internet searches for accommodation and 22^th for flights in the ranking of international destinations (both positions have remained exactly the same as a year ago). It should be borne in mind that many Americans arrive in Destination Barcelona from other European cities.
• The level of hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2025 from the United States is slightly lower than the same period of 2023 for Barcelona city, but higher for Barcelona region. It should be highlighted that this is the international market with the highest number of bookings at the moment for the next quarter for both Barcelona city (12.9% of bookings) and Barcelona region (8.4% of bookings). A peak in bookings can be observed in the week of 17/02, coinciding with the school holidays.
• Americans have booked with an average of more than 4 months before the stay. Stays will be close to 3 nights long and travelling as a couple will be the most frequent.
• Hotel bookings for both Barcelona city and Barcelona region are above the average for other international European destinations.

 

France

• The French cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are Paris, Nice, and Nantes.
• During the first quarter of 2025, school holidays will be in Christmas, until January the 5^th, and during the month of February and the beginning of March, by fortnights, in the different French regions.
• The region showing the greatest interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days was Languedoc-Roussillon​, while in Destination Barcelona, it was Corsica region. The most popular search terms were Sagrada Familia and Castelldefels.
• During the same period of analysis, the destination has achieved the 2^nd position  in internet searches for accommodation and it has remained 7th for flights in the ranking of international destinations.
• The level of hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2025 from France is slightly lower than the same period in 2024.
• The French have booked for these dates close to 100 days in advance. Stays will be around 3 nights and travelling as a couple will be the most frequent.
• The level of hotel bookings for both Barcelona city and Barcelona region is over the average of bookings for other international 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.
• During the first quarter of 2025, school holidays will be in Christmas, until January the 6^th, and from the 1st to the 5th of March.
• The region showing the greatest interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days was Sardinia. The most popular search term has been Sagrada Familia, followed by the “beach” and the “sea”.
• During the same period of analysis, the destination ranked 3rd in internet searches for accommodation and 4th for flights in the ranking of international destinations, achieving a better year-on-year positioning in each of the categories analysed.
• The level of hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2025 from Italy is slightly lower than the same period in 2024 for Barcelona city, but slightly higher for Barcelona region. In both geographical areas, peak bookings are observed for the first week of the year, and in Barcelona region, for the second week of March.
• Italians have booked, for these dates, between 3 and 4 months in advance. Stays will be 3.2 nights long in Barcelona city, and 2.4 in the region. Couples will be the most frequent travellers in Barcelona city, while in the Barcelona region, solo travellers.
• The level of hotel bookings for both Barcelona city and Barcelona region is below the average for other international European destinations (excluding Rome).

 

The Netherlands

• The Dutch cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport keep being Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Rotterdam.
• During the first quarter of 2025, there will be school holidays for Christmas, until January the 5^th, and in February, by weeks, in the different Dutch regions.
• The region showing the most interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days was North Holland, while in Destination Barcelona, Frisia. The most popular search terms were Sagrada Familia, the weather, and the hotels.
• The destination has ranked the 6^th in internet searches for accommodation in the ranking of international destinations, while for flights, it has remained the 3^rd.
• The level of hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2025 from the Netherlands is below the same period last year in Barcelona city but above in Barcelona region. There is a peak of bookings in the first geographical area for stays during the first week of February and during the second week of March, in Barcelona region.
• The Dutch have booked, for these dates, an average of more than 100 days in advance. Stays will be 3.6 nights-long in Barcelona city, and 3.6 in the region. Travelling as a couple will be the most frequent in the first area, while as a solo, in the second.
• The level of hotel bookings in Barcelona city is at the same level as the average for bookings in other international European destinations (excluding Amsterdam), while those of Barcelona region, above it.

 

United Kingdom

• The British cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport keep being London, Manchester, and Birmingham.
• During the first quarter of 2025, there will be school holidays for Christmas, until January the 5th, and during the central weeks of February, by areas.
• The region showing the most interest in Destination Barcelona over the last 90 days has been England. The most popular searched terms were Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona city, and Montserrat, in the Destination.
• During the same period of analysis, the destination has ranked the 8^th in internet searches for accommodation and it the 7^th for flights in the ranking of international destinations.
• The level of hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2025 from the United Kingdom is higher than that of the same period last year. There are different peaks in bookings during these months: in Barcelona city, during the third week of February (coinciding with the school holidays), and in Barcelona region, during the last week of January.
• The British have booked close to 4 months in advance for these dates. Stays will be above 3 nights long and travelling as a couple will be the most frequent.
• The level of hotel bookings in Barcelona city, is above the average for bookings to other international European destinations (excluding London), while Barcelona region‘s, lower.

 

More information: Outbound Markets in Destination Barcelona 2025 – I