25/09/2013 00:00
TW
0

HOTELS in the Balearics were 91 percent full during August, the highest occupancy rate in Spain. The figure is a 2.6 percent increase over August of 2002. The National Institute of Statistics (INE) reported yesterday that the total of overnight stays in Spanish hotels during August was 33'891'598, a 5.1 percent increase on the same month last year. Of the total of overnight stays in August, 14'447'753 were made by Spanish tourists (5.6 percent more than in August of 2002); 17'289'472 were visitors from the European Union and 2'154'373 were tourists from other parts of the world. These figures represent a 4.8 percent increase over August 2002.
Occupancy levels in August dropped by 0.1 percent to settle at 74.4 percent, due to the year on year growth of hotel places on offer during this month (4.3 percent). Analysed by point of origin, statistics show that 57 percent of the total of overnight stays made by non-residents were made by tourists from Germany and the United Kingdom. These two client markets totalled 11.1 million overnight stays in August. Of the total of overnight stays made by foreigners, 31.3 percent were attributable to visitors from the United Kingdom; 25.7 percent from Germany; 9.2 percent from Italy; 8.1 percent from France; 4.3 percent from Belgium; 3.8 percent from the Netherlands and 2.6 percent from Portugal. With regard to Spanish clients, 27 percent of overnight stays were made by travellers from Madrid; 21 percent from Catalonia; 13 percent from Andalucia; 9 percent from Valencia; 5 percent from the Basque Country; 4 percent from Castilla y León; and 3 percent from Galicia. The Balearic Islands was the chief holiday destination for foreign visitors.
Overnight stays made in August increased by 6.7 percent in comparison to the same month of 2002.
Andalucía and Catalonia were the principal destinations for the Spanish.
The distribution of overnight stays of foreign tourists was 42 percent in the Balearics, 22 percent in Catalonia; 15 percent in the Canary Islands, 11 percent in Andalucía, and 4 percent in Valencia. The Balearics was the region which achieved the highest hotel occupancy levels during August this year, with nearly 91 percent of available places taken, some 2.6 percent higher than that registered in August 2002. The most popular tourist spots in Spain in August, evidenced by the number of overnight stays, were Calviá, Benidorm, Palma de Mallorca and Salou.