Spain’s Valencian Community tourism figures for July showing good results

The first figures for tourist occupancy in July in Costa Blanca’s Valencian Region, corresponding to the first fortnight, are close to the records for 2019, that is to say, to the situation prior to the Covid pandemic that hit the sector hard.

However, the rise in prices in recent months leaves it uncertain whether this recovery in the number of visitors will translate into greater profitability, confirmed 20 Minutos on Monday, July 25.

According to the balance sheet drawn up by the Hosbec employers’ association, during the first two weeks of July, which are already considered the high tourist season, the targets set in terms of hotel occupancy have been met.

There are slight drops of 0.5 to 1 point in destinations such as Costa Blanca and the province of Valencia compared to the figures of three years ago.

Benidorm has a negative difference of 3.6 points.

However, several factors raise fears that the profitability of tourism businesses could be affected this year.

The start of the summer season has been complicated in the Region by economic, health and logistical factors.

The strikes and conflicts in British and European airports, the upturn of the seventh wave of Covid, high inflation and the complicated economic situation are influencing hotel bookings, according to the hotel employers’ association.

Spain’s Regional secretary of Tourism, Francesc Colomer, expressed his concern about the current context of inflation and warned that this year “could be the paradox that there would be a lot of tourism but not so good profitability”.

“The approach, when we talk about figures, cannot be superficial” because, in his opinion, “it is not about counting heads or obsessing about returning to the figures of 2019, although everything seems to indicate that we are very close”.

The occupancy figures, he pointed out, “are only one figure and we would be wrong if that were the great satisfactory figure that would satisfy us all.”

“There are other much more qualitative metrics such as profitability, diversification, or territorial structuring so that visitors flow throughout the territory and not only in the most tourist nodes.”

With regard to profitability, Colomer acknowledged that “this year is going to be different” and referred to inflation, which, due to the increase in costs, could lead to a reduction in profitability.