Longer and earlier: this is how hotel bookings for the summer are going in Destination Barcelona

The Barcelona Tourism Observatory: city and region publishes the outbound markets report for the second quarter of 2024. This report includes a review of the air connectivity, the holidays calendar, the online interest and positioning, and the status and characteristics of hotel bookings in Destination Barcelona of the main source markets. 

These are the key highlights of this report’s edition:

• All the main source markets record school holidays during summer.
• Destination Barcelona has improved its positioning in the main source markets in both online searches for accommodation and flights.
• Hotel bookings for stays during the summer not only show greater lead times than bookings for the spring months but also a higher average length of stay.
• The United States is the international market with the most summer bookings in Barcelona city, even more than the domestic market, which tends to make more last-minute bookings.
• During the same period, the Spanish hotel bookings are the most frequent in Barcelona region. Moreover, the international markets with the most bookings at the moment for the summer in this area are the French and American, both showing similar shares.

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 third quarter of 2024, there will be school holidays from 15/07 to 25/08.
• The region showing the greatest online interest in Destination Barcelona over the last 90 days has been Hessen and the most popular search terms have been Sitges and Castelldefels. However, Baden-Württemberg has been the area showing most interest in Barcelona city, being Sagrada Familia and the weather the most frequent search terms for this area.
• The Destination has ranked 11^th in internet searches for accommodation and 3^th for flights in the ranking of international destinations. This last positioning has been quite better to that of the last outbound markets report.
• The level of hotel bookings from Germany for July is higher than in the same period last year for both Barcelona city and Barcelona region. However, bookings for August in Barcelona region and those for September in Barcelona city are quite behind last year’s.
• On average, Germans have booked more than 4 months in advance for these dates and will stay around 5.2 nights in both Barcelona city and Barcelona region. Couples will be the most likely travellers.
• Hotel bookings in Destiantion Barcelona are at a lower level than in other European destinations (excluding Berlin).

 

Spain

• The Spanish cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are Palma de Mallorca, Madrid, and Ibiza.
• During the third quarter of 2024, school holidays will be until the 08/09.
• The region that has shown the greatest online interest in Destination Barcelona over the last 90 days has been Catalonia. The most popular search terms were Sagrada Familia, the hotels, and several Garraf destinations.
• During the same period of analysis, the Destination has achieved the 2^nd place in internet searches for both, accomodation and flights, within the ranking of national and international destinations, improving its positioning in both categories since the last published outbound markets report.
• The level of hotel bookings for the third quarter of 2024 from Spain is similar to that of the same period last year in Barcelona city and slightly below in Barcelona region. It must be highlighted that Spain stands as the first source market in volume for stays in Barcelona region.
• On average, Spaniards have booked almost 5 months in advance for these dates and stays will be around 3.5 nights. Both indicators are significantly higher than in the previous outbound markets report, which analysed bookings for the spring season. Travelling as a couple will continue to be the most common type of trip.
• The level of hotel bookings in Barcelona region is ahead of bookings of other destinations analysed, yet behind those of Madrid. However, those in Barcelona city are below average.

 

United States

• The US cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are New York, Chicago and Miami.
• During the third quarter of 2024, school holidays will be until the 04/09.
• The region showing the most interest online in Barcelona city over the last 90 days has been the District of Columbia. The most popular search terms have been Sagrada Familia in Barcelona city, and Sitges in the Destination as a whole.
• During the same period of analysis, the Destination has ranked 8^th in internet searches for accommodation (+3 positions than in the last report) and 14^th for flights in the ranking of international destinations (+6 positions than in the last report). It should be borne in mind that many Americans arrive in Destination Barcelona from other European cities.
• The level of hotel bookings for the third quarter of 2024 from the United States is quite ahead of the same period of 2023 for both Barcelona city, especially for July, which at this moment are over last year’s July final bookings. It should be highlighted that this is the market with the highest number of bookings for the next quarter in Barcelona city and one of the most important ones in Barcelona region.
• Americans have booked on average more than 4-5 months in advance. The average stay will be 3.7 nights in Barcelona city and 4.8 nights in the region, slightly higher than spring bookings. Couples will be the most frequent travellers.
• Hotel bookings for Barcelona city are above the average for other European destinations, while for Barcelona region, they remain well below the average.

 

France

• The French cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are Paris, Nice and Nantes.
• During the third quarter of 2024, school holidays will be from 06/07 to 02/09.
• The region showing the greatest online interest in Destination Barcelona over the last 90 days has been Languedoc-Roussillon​. The most popular search terms have been Sagrada Familia and Castelldefels.
• During the same period of analysis, the destination has improved its positioning in internet searches for accommodation, ranking 2^nd and 4^th for flights, in the ranking of international destinations.
• The level of hotel bookings for the third quarter from France is, on the whole, lower than for the same period of 2023. However, a peak of bookings in the first week of August has been observed. It should also be noted that this is one of the international markets with the highest number of bookings for this geographical area.
• On average, the French have booked almost 4 months in advance for these dates. Stays will be almost 4 nights in Barcelona city and 4.6 nights in Barcelona region. In Barcelona region, most trips will be made by couples, while in the city of Barcelona, most will be made by solo travellers.
• The level of hotel bookings for Barcelona city is close to the average for other European destinations (excluding Paris), while those for the region are considerably higher.

 

Italy

• The Italian cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport keep being Rome, Milan, and Venice.
• During the third quarter of 2024, school holidays will be until the 11/09.
• The region showing the greatest online interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days has been Trentino-Alto Adige. The most popular search term has been the “sea“, followed by Sagrada Familia and the “beach”.
• During the same period of analysis, the Destination has ranked 2^nd in internet searches for accommodation and for flights in the ranking of international destinations, achieving a better positioning in both of the categories analysed since the last outbound markets report.
• The level of hotel bookings for July from Italy is, on the whole, above the same period in 2023. Bookings for Barcelona city in August are ahead last year’s, and for Barcelona region, behind. Finally, September bookings are close to those of last year in both areas.  
• On average, Italians have booked around 4 months in advance for these dates. Stays will be 4.1 nights in the city of Barcelona and 5.4 nights in the region, slightly higher than spring bookings. Couple holidays will be the most common.
• The level of hotel bookings for Barcelona city is close to the average for other European destinations (excluding Rome), while Barcelona region bookings are below.
   

The Netherlands

• The Dutch cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport keep being Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Rotterdam.
• During the third quarter of 2024, there will be school holidays from 13/07 to 25/08.
• The region showing the most interest online in Barcelona city over the last 90 days has been Flevoland, while in Destination Barcelona, Noord-Holland. The most popular search terms were Sagrada Familia, and some Garraf destinations.
• The destination has ranked 4^th in internet searches for accommodation in the ranking of international destinations, and 2^nd for flights, being these better positions than in the previous outbound markets report.
• The level of hotel bookings for July from the Netherlands is below the same period last year. Bookings for August are now slightly below last year in Barcelona city and above in the region, while in September they are ahead in both cases.
• On average, the Dutch booked almost 4 months in advance for these dates. Stays will be 3.7 nights in Barcelona city and 4.9 nights in the region. Couples will be the most likely travellers in Barcelona city, while in Barcelona region they will be travelling with relatives.
• The level of hotel bookings for Barcelona city is below the average of bookings for other European destinations (excluding Amsterdam). In the meanwhile, those for Barcelona region are similar to it.
   

United Kingdom

• The British cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport are London, Manchester, and Bristol.
• During the third quarter of 2024, school holidays will be from 24/07 to 31/08.
• The region showing the most interest online in Barcelona city over the last 90 days has been Northern Ireland, and in Barcelona region, England. The most popular search terms have been Sagrada Familia and Sitges.
• During the same period of analysis, the destination has achieved the 8^th position in internet searches for both the accommodation and the flights in the ranking of international destinations.
• The level of hotel bookings for July and September from the United Kingdom is slightly lower than that of the same period last year in Barcelona city, and higher in Barcelona region. However, in August it is just the opposite.
• The British have booked around 5 months in advance for these dates. Stays will be around 3.4 nights in Barcelona city and 4.1 nights in Barcelona region. Couple holidays will be the most common.
• The level of hotel bookings in Destination Barcelona is close to the average of bookings for other European destinations (excluding London).

 

More information: Outbound markets in Destination Barcelona 2024 – III