Spring 2024: Year-on-year growth in hotel bookings in the main source markets

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:

• Although the early timing of Easter this year has led to a lower level of hotel bookings in April compared to the same period of 2023, the second quarter of the year is now showing an increase in bookings compared to last year.
• May is the month with the highest level of year-on-year bookings increase. This month shows a large number of public holidays and long weekends in the main European markets.
• The United States is the international market with the highest number of spring bookings in Barcelona city and the one with the most advanced level compared to last year’s spring.
• The domestic market is the leading market in Barcelona region, followed by the French market.
• There has been a general increase in the hotel bookings leading time, which stands now at around 4 months.

 

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 second quarter of 2024, there will be school holidays during the first fortnight of April and several public holidays spread over May, which could become long weekends.
• The region showing the greatest interest in Destination Barcelona over the last 90 days was Hamburg. However, Bavaria was the area showing most interest in Barcelona city. The most popular search terms have been Sagrada Familia and the weather.
• The Destination ranked 15^th in internet searches for accommodation and 6^th for flights in the ranking of international destinations. This last positioning has been quite similar to that of the last outbound markets report.
• The level of hotel bookings for the second quarter of 2024 from Germany, with the exception of April, is higher than in the same period last year for both Barcelona city and Barcelona region, especially during May, when there are peaks in bookings in the last weeks of the month.
• Germans have booked for these dates, on average, about 4 months in advance and stays will be around 4.7 nights in Barcelona city and 4.3 nights in Barcelona region. Travelling as a couple will be the most frequent.
• Hotel bookings in Barcelona city is 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 keep being Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, and Ibiza.
• During the second quarter of 2024, school holidays will be from June the 21st.
• The region that has shown the greatest 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 maintained the 2^nd position in internet searches for both, accomodation and flights, within the ranking of national and international destinations, maintaining its positioning in both categories since the last published outbound markets report.
• The level of hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2024 from Spain is below or similar to that of same period last year in both Barcelona city and Barcelona region. However, June shows more bookings than the same period of 2023. It must be highlighted that Spain stands as the first source market in volume for stays in the next few months Destination Barcelona, and the second, in Barcelona city.
• Spaniards have booked, for these dates, an average of about 4 months in advance and stays will be around 2.4 nights long in Barcelona city, and 2.1 in the region. Travelling as a couple will remain as the most frequent way of travelling.
• The level of hotel bookings in both geographical areas is ahead of bookings of other destinations analysed, yet behind those of Madrid.

 

United States

• The US cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport keep being New York, Miami, and Philadelphia.
• During the second quarter of 2024, school holidays will be by the end of April and by the end of June.
• The region showing the most interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days was the District of Columbia, while in Destination Barcelona, Iowa. The most popular search terms kept being Barcelona and Sagrada Familia.
• During the same period of analysis, the Destination ranked 11^th in internet searches for accommodation (-2 positions than in the last report) and 22^th for flights in the ranking of international destinations (=). It should be borne in mind that many Americans arrive in Destination Barcelona from other European cities.
• The level of hotel bookings for the first quarter of 2024 from the United States is quite ahead of the same period of 2023 for both Barcelona city, and Barcelona region, especially for April. It should be highlighted that this is the international market with the highest number of bookings for the next quarter in Barcelona city. A peak in bookings can be observed from the 20th of May to the 2nd of June.
• Americans have booked with an average of more than 4 months before the stay. Stays will almost get to 3.9 nights in Barcelona city and 2.8 in the region. Travelling as a couple will be the most frequent.
• 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 keep being Paris, Nantes, and Nice.
• During the second quarter of 2024, school holidays will be during the month of March and the beginning of May, by fortnights, in the different French regions, and in the whole country, from the 8th to the 13th of May.
• The region showing the greatest interest in Destination Barcelona over the last 90 days was Languedoc-Roussillon​. The most popular search terms were Sagrada Familia and Castelldefels.
• During the same period of analysis, the destination has maintained the 3rd position in internet searches for accommodation and the 7th for flights in the ranking of international destinations.
• The level of hotel bookings for the Barcelona region in the second quarter of 2024 from France is lower than in the same period of 2023, except for May, where a large volume of bookings is observed. It should also be noted that this is the international market with the highest number of bookings for this geographical area. In Barcelona city, bookings for this period are higher than for the same period last year, especially for stays during May, where there is a peak in bookings for the school holiday week at the beginning of the month.
• The French have booked for these dates an average of 3 to 4 months in advance. Stays will be around 3 nights and travelling as a couple will be the most frequent in Barcelona region, while in Barcelona city, family trips will be the most frequent.
• 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 second quarter of 2024, school holidays will be in Easter, until April the 2nd, and since June the 7th.
• The region showing the greatest interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days was the Abruzzo region. The most popular search term has been the “sea“, followed by the “beach”, and “where to stay”.
• During the same period of analysis, the destination ranked 3rd in internet searches for accommodation and for flights in the ranking of international destinations, achieving a better positioning in the first of the categories analysed since the last source market report.
• The level of hotel bookings for the second quarter of 2024 from Italy is, on the whole, above the same period in 2023 in both Barcelona city and Barcelona region, especially for stays in May. 
• Italians have booked, for these dates, an average of more than 90 days in advance. Stays will be over 3 nights long in Barcelona city, and 5 in the region. Travelling as a couple will be the most frequent
• The level of hotel bookings for Barcelona city is above 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 second quarter of 2024, there will be school holidays from the 27th of April to the 5th of May. There will also be several public holidays spread over May, which could become long weekends.
• The region showing the most interest in Barcelona city over the last 90 days was Zeland province, while in Destination Barcelona, Drenthe. The most popular search terms were Sagrada Familia, the weather, and “places of interest”.
• The destination has ranked the 10th in internet searches for accommodation in the ranking of international destinations, and the 3rd for flights, being these lower than in the previous outbound markets report.
• The level of hotel bookings for the second quarter of 2024 from the Netherlands is ahead of the same period last year in both Barcelona city and Barcelona region in May and June, and lower, in April. Several peaks of bookings have been observed in the first geographical area throughout the quarter, while in Barcelona region, during the week of 10-16 June.
• The Dutch have booked, for these dates, an average of 4 months in advance. Stays will be 3.4 nights-long in Barcelona city, and 3.7 in the region. Travelling as a couple will be the most frequent.
• The level of hotel bookings for Barcelona city is close to the average of bookings for other European destinations (excluding Amsterdam). In the meanwhile, those for Barcelona region are below or similar to it in April and May, and well over, in June.

 

United Kingdom

• The British cities with the highest volume of air passengers from/to Barcelona Airport keep being London, Manchester, and Birmingham.
• During the second quarter of 2024, school holidays will be the first fortnight of April and the last week of May.
• The region showing the most interest in Destination Barcelona over the last 90 days has been England. The most popular search terms have been Sagrada Familia, the weather, and “Things to do in Barcelona”.
• During the same period of analysis, the destination has maintained the 9th position in internet searches for accommodation and the 7th for flights in the ranking of international destinations.
• The level of hotel bookings for the second quarter of 2024 from the United Kingdom is higher than that of the same period last year, especially in Barcelona region. There is a peak in bookings in the last week of May in Barcelona city, and one week earlier in Barcelona region.
• The British have booked over 4 months in advance for these dates. Stays will be around 3.5 nights long and travelling as a couple will be the most frequent.
• The level of hotel bookings in Destination Barcelona is slightly over the average of bookings for other European destinations (excluding London).

 

More information: Outbound Markets in Destination Barcelona 2024 – II