Tourism industry gets ready for first 'fully recovered' Easter week since 2019
Travel agencies expect 10% more income than last year, while hotel bookings are at around 87%
Tourism industry professionals are looking forward to this year's Easter week as they believe it will be the first time figures will be comparable to those registered in 2019, the last Easter before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The travel agencies association, ACAVe, believes that 70% of companies will invoice 10% more than last year, as the group's president, Jordi Martí, said to the Catalan News Agency (ACN).
"The forecast is looking good," Martí said as they expect an "explosion in demand."
On a similar note, Josep Rodríguez, Sercotel hotel group's CEO, believes the occupancy rate during Easter will be "very good" as some hotels will be fully booked, with an average booking rate of 87%, similar numbers to the ones released by the hotels association.
The tourism industry's recovery is mainly driven by visitors coming from Germany and Great Britain, but those from North America are "also becoming an important market."
"We wonder which tourists will take over the gap left by Russian visitors, but in general, there are no worries at all," Jordi Martí said.
Even though international visitors are an important part of the tourism industry, Catalans or Spaniards will also spend between three to four days in the Catalan capital, as Sercotel's CEO told ACN.
The hotels association also expects a good recovery this year as "the occupancy rate is very good news as it evidences Barcelona's tourism recovery, and we continue to be an internationally renowned and competitive brand," Manel Casals, the director general of the hotels association, said.
Sergio Acereda, the director of commercial communication at Renfe, Spain's rail operator, told the Catalan News Agency that he expects a "record" year for tourism for the company.
Tourists expected, from the mountains to the sea
All over Catalonia, the tourist industry is expecting a bumper week, from the Pyrenees to the coast.
Even the lack of snow in recent weeks at ski resorts in the Pyrenees will not prevent hotels in mountain areas from reaching up to 90% occupancy this Easter, according to the Lleida Tourism Board.
Baqueira Beret, Boí Taüll, and Port Ainé are among the ski resorts that have remained open, despite recent high temperatures.
In the Catalan capital Barcelona, hoteliers are predicting almost full occupancy.
In the Maresme area, on the coast north of Barcelona, occupancy could be around 85%, "a good start to the season," according to the area's hotel association.
In the seaside town of Castelldefels, south of Barcelona, occupancy will be at 80%, while further south in Sitges hotels are expected to be full between Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Campsites in and around Barcelona are also optimistic, with hopes they could be on average 85% full.
In Central Catalonia, last-minute bookings could take occupancy levels in rural accommodation in some areas to 100%, according to the head of the Berguedà Agrotourism Association, Oriol Baños.
The Girona tourism sector in the north of Catalonia is anticipating a good Easter with hotel occupation ranging between 85% and 90% on bank holidays and 60% and 65% the rest of the week.
Finally, in the south of Catalonia, on the Costa Daurada and in the Terres de l'Ebre, hoteliers are expecting occupancy rates of between 80% and 90%.