The Observatory of Tourism in Barcelona updates the Destination Barcelona tourism forecast report as of 19/03/2021. This report highlights the effects of Covid-19 on the tourism sector. 

Covid-19 restrictive measures

Covid-19 preventive measures continue despite the increasing number of worldwide vaccinations.

In Catalonia, from the 15/03 to the 28/03, the following measures will affect the tourism sector:

- Restaurants and bars: 30% of capacity on both the outside and the inside of the establishments. Opening hours from 7.30 am to 17 h. Take-away outside the opening hours will continue to be allowed.

- Commerce: 30% of capacity on shops of less than 800m².

- Professional events: congresses, corporate meetings, and incentives and workshops have been canceled.

- Culture: 50% of capacity in cinemas, concert halls, museums and exhibition centers.

- Schools: bubble groups are allowed to go on an excursion and to stay overnight, even outside their region of residence.

- Night curfew: from 10 pm to 6 am.

- Region perimeter lockdown: bubble groups are allowed to leave the region of residence.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Health has agreed to lock all the autonomous communities down during the Easter holidays, so that mobility will not be allowed between the different Spanish territories or outside them (except: Canary and Balearic Islands).

Source markets

European internal borders keep open but almost all EU countries maintain restrictive measures. 

The entry measures to all passengers flying from Brazil, South Africa and United Kingdom, due to new variants of the virus are mantained in Spain. Moreover, passengers travelling from Brazil or South Africa have to quarantine upon their arrival. From the 08/03, passengers flying from Botswana, Comoros, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Peru, and Colombia also have to quarantine.

The EU has approved a vaccination passport against Covid-19, which will allow movements within the continent to those who have been vaccinated or produced antibodies and to those who have been tested (PCR or an antigen test). In Spain, the passport could be available before summer.

Air capacity

The global airlines capacity during 08/03 week has been decreased by -34.8% year-on-year, while in Spain, by -76.8%. It is expected that, from late March, there will be a certain global recovery in frequencies (especially domestic flights) although companies continue to readjust their offer from week to week.

Tourist offer and professional events

In Barcelona city, 115 hotels with 27,493 beds remain open. The Eixample, the Gothic Quarter, and Sant Martí are the districts with more available offer.

74.7% of the cultural facilities in Barcelona city are open to the public. 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 101 confirmed congresses for the upcoming years, 63 in 2021.

Tourist demand

Over the last week, Google searches from Spain for Barcelona city have slightly increased, while in Destination Barcelona they have decreased. Most of the searches for both geographical areas keep coming from Catalonia.

The Barcelona flights and accommodation searches achieve their best positioning on the french market, followed by the Spanish and the European ones. The positioning of the Destination has improved if compared to the previous week.

The hotel bookings in Barcelona city over the last week (07/03-17/03) have increased: while two weeks ago, 27.0% of bookings had been made, last week, they were 27.8% (as compared with the peak of January 2020). Over the same week, the volume of hotel reservations in Destination Barcelona has been higher too: while two weeks ago, 42.1% of bookings have been made, last week, they were 51.5% (as compared with the peak of January 2020).

Destination Barcelona tourism forecast (19/03/2021)