The Observatory of Tourism in Barcelona updates the Destination Barcelona tourism forecast report as of 29/01/2021. This report highlights the effects of Covid-19 on the tourism sector. 

Covid-19 restrictive measures

Despite the increasing number of worldwide vaccinated people, Covid-19 keeps causing restrictive measures, as detailed in previous reports.

Source markets

European internal borders keep open but almost all EU countries maintain restrictive measures. Some of them have recommended not to visit Catalonia and/or Spain, others have imposed mandatory quarantines, PCR tests, or other measures to passengers coming from Spain.

Since 25/01/21, France is requiring to all UE airport passengers a negative PCR test on their arrival, something that the EU is considering throughout its territory, and that would apply to all those countries exceeding a cumulative incidence of 500 cases per 100.000 inhabitants over a 14-day period.

The global airlines capacity during 18/01 week has been decreased by -51.9% year-on-year, while in Spain, by -76.7%. It is expected that, from March, there will be a certain recovery in frequencies, although companies continue to readjust their offer from week to week..

Tourist offer and professional events

On 25/01/2021, 109 hotels with 24,396 beds were available in Barcelona city. The Eixample, the Gothic Quarter, and Sant Martí are the districts with more available offer.

77.0% of the cultural facilities in Barcelona city are open to the public, slighty over the last week's figure. However, some of the most visited sightseeing places in Barcelona city keep temporarily closed (Camp Nou Experience, Tibidabo, and Casa Batlló).

As for the professional events, it must be highlighted that there are 102 confirmed congresses for the upcoming years.

Tourist demand

Google searches from Spain for Barcelona city have remained stable over the last week, but those for Destination Barcelona have dropped. Most of the searches for both geographical areas keep coming from Catalonia.

Flight searches to Barcelona from Germany, UK, Spain and France have kept decreasing. On the other hand, the USA (-89%) has registered the highest YoY loss. 

The hotel bookings in Barcelona city over the last week (18/01-24/01) have remained at the same level: while two weeks ago, 17.3% of bookings had been made, last week, they were 15.7% (as compared with the peak of January 2020). Over the same week, the volume of hotel reservations in Destination Barcelona has been lower: while two weeks ago, 28.3% of bookings have been made, last week, they were 17.8% (as compared with the peak of January 2020).

Destination Barcelona tourism forecast (29/01/2021)