Barcelona ranks third in the online search ranking for flights and accommodation in Europe, only behind Paris and London

The Barcelona Tourism Observatory: city and region publishes a new report on the Destination Barcelona tourism activity forecast for May.

Below are the main conclusions of this new edition of the report:

• Air capacity in Barcelona for May is estimated to be 6.1 million seats (+5.9% year-on-year).
• It is expected that during this month, 125 cruise ships will arrive at the Port of Barcelona, marking the peak in monthly cruise traffic for the year (alongside October) and significantly surpassing the same period in 2024.
• Destination Barcelona will experience a May full of sporting events: the Women’s Cycling Tour, the Conde de Godó Sailing Trophy, several races throughout the territory, the FCB–Real Madrid match, and the Spanish F1 Grand Prix at Barcelona-Catalunya circuit are just a few examples. In music, two concerts by the London Symphony Orchestra and Gustavo Dudamel will stand out as part of the Barcelona Obertura. Moreover two concerts by Mike Towers at the Palau Sant Jordi must be highlighted. In the cultural sphere, the Night of the Museums will be celebrated throughout the Destination, while in terms of fairs and festivals, there will be a new edition of the REC Experimental Stores in Igualada and several modernist fairs, such as those in Terrassa and Barcelona.
• About forty congresses have been confirmed in May, with an expected attendance of almost 80,000 people. The most prominent event this month in the Destination will be the Seafood Expo Global (May 6–8), which could attract around 30,000 people, followed by Vitafoods Europe (May 20–22), with an expected attendance of 25,000.
• In May, Japan, China, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Singapur will have school holidays at some point of the month.
• In recent weeks, Google searches for Barcelona city have shown an upward trend, although slightly below the same period last year. Among the most popular searches in the last quarter, we continue to find terms like “Barcelona” (also in French), “Sagrada Familia“, and practical topics such as accommodation (“Hotel Barcelona”). Among the rising searches, we find terms such as the ATP (in Barcelona, the Open Banc Sabadell), Casa Batlló, Blanes, and water parks.
• In the past month, Destination Barcelona ranked 4th in accommodation searches in the global online ranking compared to other international destinations, while in flight searches, it ranked 6th. Thus, not only has it improved its positioning in these rankings but it also has ranked ahead of Amsterdam, Rome, Madrid or Dublin. Moreover, Barcelona ranks now third in the online search ranking for flights and accommodation in Europe, only behind Paris and London.
• Hotel bookings in the last month have been led by the domestic market, especially in Barcelona region, where they account for more than half of the bookings. In Barcelona city, bookings from the U.S. remain the most frequent international reservations, while in Barcelona region, the leading international market has been France. More than half of bookings were for couples.
• Currently, the booking levels for the upcoming months in Barcelona city are below those recorded last year, while in Barcelona region, they are above last year’s levels.
• Compared to other European destinations for the next quarter, Barcelona city has a similar level of hotel bookings than London, higher than Paris, and lower than Berlin, Madrid or Amsterdam. Barcelona region’s bookings level is positioned significantly lower.

More information: Tourism Activity Outlook Report for Destination Barcelona (2025-V)