The Observatory of Tourism in Barcelona updates the Destination Barcelona tourism forecast report as of 14/01/2022. This report highlights the effects of Covid-19 on the tourism sector.

Current Covid-19 restrictions in Catalonia

In Catalonia, from 14/01/22 and for 14 days:

• Night curfew: between 1 and 6 in the morning in towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants with an accumulated incidence of over 250 per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 7 days (consult the list of the municipalities included).
• Nightlife: closed.
• Catering establishments: 50% indoors, 100% on terraces. Covid certificate is mandatory indoors and also in hotels and restaurants where dancing is allowed. Closing time: 00.30.
• Culture and sport: 70% in theaters, cinemas and other cultural activities, shops and sports competitions. Shows allowed are only allowed with seated spectators. Closing time: 00.30.
• Gathering limits: 10 people at most, except cohabitants, both in public and private spaces.
• Use of the face mask: mandatory indoors and outdoors.

Source markets

The EU Digital COVID certificate is operational. In Spain, the entrance of passengers from EU countries (or zones) with risk is allowed if one of the following is presented:

1. Vaccination certificate

2. Diagnosis certificate

3. Recovery certificate

The rest of EU passengers are accepted without any certificate. However, due to the worsening situation of Covid-19 in Europe, some countries are introducing new restrictive measures that could hinder or affect their travel plans.

Passengers from the United Kingdom can only travel to Spain with a vaccination certificate.

On the other hand, passatgers who travel for non-essential reasons from intercontinental countries with vaccination certificate are also accepted.

Passengers from countries considered as Covid-19 "high risk countries" must present, regardless of their vaccination status, a negative diagnostic test to enter Spain. The countries included in this list are: Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Transportation offer

The forecasts show an increase in the number of seats operated worldwide through the next weeks, altough below prepandemic levels. However, it should be reminded that airlines continue to readjust their flight schedules week after week.

During the following week, 6 cruises ships are leaving or making a stopover at Barcelona Port. In 2022 about 50 shipping agents will operate in the city, bringing more than 800 cruiseships.

Tourist offer and professional events

The hotel accommodation has slightly grown: by the end of December 2021, 310 hotels and 60,235 bed supplies were open. As for the culture offer, 92,0% of the 88 monitored cultural facilities in Barcelona city are working.

The next professional events in Destination Barcelona will take place after the Chistmas holidays. In 2022, 98 events are confirmed, and about 90 applications are open until 2027.

Tourist demand

Over the last week, Google searches from Spain for Barcelona city have remained stable, 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 in Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Germany, in this order. Destination Barcelona has ranked 11th in searches of accommodation and 10th in searches of flights in the ranking of international destinations worldwide.

Finally, from 02/01 to 08/01, hotel reservations in Barcelona city, which lead time's has increased to 26 days, have stood at 36.4% compared to the series peak (January 2020), below the previous week (29.1%). In Barcelona region, the bookings have stood at 68.5% compared to the series peak (June 2021), which also means a decrease over the previous week (47.1%). As for the origin, international bookings have been higher in Barcelona city (59.9%), while in Barcelona region, the domestic ones have been the most numerous (68.0%).

Destination Barcelona tourism forecast (14/01/2022)