Catalonia’s tourism sector anticipates high occupancy rates for the Easter holiday. Many regions expect to near or exceed 90% occupancy. However, Barcelona projects a slight decline in long-haul visitors. This mixed outlook emerges amidst excellent snow conditions in the Pyrenees and strong coastal demand.

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José Luis Álvarez, President of Hostaleria d’Espanya, expects a season similar to last year. He notes that rising fuel costs have not yet impacted prices. However, Álvarez expressed “some concern” regarding foreign tourism and transport issues, according to Efe.

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The Associació Corporativa d’Agències de Viatges Especialitzades (ACAVE) also acknowledges a “certain retention” in travel bookings. This applies to the upcoming Easter period. Rosó Morlà, ACAVE’s Vice President, states that “the traveller is waiting to see.” She hopes destinations like Barcelona will see a visitor rebound this summer. This could happen as travellers perceive Spain as safer than other destinations.

The Middle East conflict and global uncertainty are influencing travel trends. Jordi Hereu, Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism, confirmed the Spanish government is promoting inland and mountain destinations. This strategy aims to develop these areas and redistribute wealth. The government has long sought to de-seasonalise tourism, moving beyond a sole focus on sun and beach holidays. Hereu outlined the current strategy as “deconcentrating destinations, diversifying proposals, and de-seasonalising.”

Strong Demand for Mountain and Coastal Areas

Ski resorts in Catalonia report some of the best snow conditions in years. The Lleida Provincial Council Tourism Board estimates approximately 90,000 skiers will visit Lleida’s alpine and Nordic slopes between this Friday and Easter Monday. Xavier Ubeira, Director of Baqueira Beret, described the season as “exceptional.” He anticipates an “excellent” week due to significant snow depths, ACN reported. Enric Serra, Deputy Director of Mountain for Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat (FGC), agrees with the “very good” forecast. He cites both current snow depths and the early timing of the season.

The restoration sector also faces Easter with “highly positive” prospects, particularly along the coast. Mingo Morillas, President of the Intercomarcal Federation of Hospitality, Restoration, and Tourism, suggests people “want to leave home and enjoy themselves.” This follows an unusually rainy winter, ACN reported. He predicts restaurants across much of Catalonia will be “full.” Morillas also expects a high volume of bookings in the week leading up to the holiday.

Transport Prepared for Increased Mobility

The Catalan Traffic Service (SCT) anticipates a “surge in mobility” for the Easter exodus. This is due to the excellent snow at ski resorts and the forecast for good weather, which will also draw people to coastal areas. Barcelona Airport projects 11,339 flights between this Friday and Monday 6 April. This represents a slight 2% increase compared to the same period last year. The busiest days for scheduled movements are Monday 6, Friday 3, and Sunday 5.

Renfe has made over 920,000 seats available to Catalan travellers for Easter. These include services on AVE, Alvia, Euromed, Intercity, Medium Distance, and International AVE trains. The Madrid-Barcelona to Figueres corridor is the busiest route. It will offer over 10,600 high-speed train seats during peak demand days. Trainline, a ticket booking platform, has observed a shift in trends. This follows an unprecedented crisis for AVE trains after the Adamuz accident. Pedro García, Trainline’s General Manager for Europe, explains that “the latest data indicates a progressive return to normality, especially during high-demand periods like Easter.”

Barcelona Sees Slight Decline

Despite the overall positive outlook for Catalonia, Barcelona’s sector expects a less robust Easter. The Catalan capital has experienced a slowdown after years of record tourism and saturation. The tourist flat employers’ association reports a five-point drop in occupancy compared to last year. This decline is attributed to the international context. Marian Muro, the association’s General Director, states that the conflict in the Middle East is deterring visitors from the United States and the Middle East. These demographics are typically frequent visitors to cities like Barcelona.

Barcelona’s tourist accommodation expects 85% occupancy between Thursday and Monday. Muro estimates this translates to approximately 37,000 visitors. She adds that 90% of clients will be families staying an average of four to five days. This duration is “much longer than other accommodation types.” Rural tourism also sees many last-minute bookings. Some visitors remain hesitant due to rising fuel prices caused by the Middle East conflict. The client profile for rural tourism remains primarily families from the Barcelona metropolitan area. Girona’s Federation of Hospitality and Tourism also expects to maintain last year’s figures. They await last-minute bookings from those cancelling international trips due to the conflict.

Catalonia’s tourism sector demonstrates resilience and adaptability in the face of global challenges. While popular destinations like Barcelona navigate a slight dip in long-haul visitors, the strong performance of mountain and coastal areas highlights a diversification of appeal. This aligns with the Spanish government’s strategy to promote varied destinations and de-seasonalise tourism. The industry will continue to monitor international developments and adapt its offerings to meet evolving traveller preferences.

Originally published by Ara Cat. Read original article.