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Blanca Martínez Mingo
Madrid
Tuesday, 27 August 2024, 15:27
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Tourist prices in Spain have risen, during most of the months of 2024 so far, twice as much as the national consumer price index (CPI), new data shows.
A graph showing the evolution of both figures from January to July shows headline inflation stood at 2.8%, while tourism prices rose by 4.5%.
This rise in prices affects the pockets of all Spaniards, but the worst hit are those who choose to spend their holidays in Spain. According to the latest figures published by country's INE national statistics institute, the first month of the summer was marked by a rise in the cost of accommodation, flights and domestic package tours, compared with a fall in the cost of international flights and package tours.
Specifically, the price of domestic flights rose by 11.7% versus international flights, which fell by 4.9%, according to the data. The price for package tours in Spain rose by 9.9%, while those including trips outside Spain fell by 4.7%. Prices of hotels, hostels, guesthouses and other accommodation services rose by 4.9%; accommodation services in other services were 6.4% more expensive, and bus transport rose by 3%.
But despite the increase in prices there is demand to travel to Spain. At the start of the year the minister of tourism was already anticipating a "record" summer. This is also confirmed by all the studies and forward-looking reports from organisations and institutions, from UN Tourism to the European Commission, via the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), or, in Spain, Caixa Research, Exceltur or the national tourism board. Last year already saw the arrival of 84 million international tourists and 108 billion euros in spending.
According to the president of the Mesa del Turismo - the sector's employers' association - Juan Molas, the increase in prices is due to the general rise in production costs for the sector itself. In other words, inflation that leads to more inflation. "Like the rest of the population, we have suffered the sharp increases in basic food products (olive oil, butter, fish, etc.), as well as in energy and transport costs," he pointed out.
"Fortunately, tourism demand has not suffered at any time and this has allowed us to face these increases in better conditions," Mola told SUR. And he added that: "we have to take into account where we come from and that the years 2020 and 2021 were the worst times for the sector".
Despite the industry's conviction, some do see some consumer resentment. As SUR reported a few weeks ago, the first alarm was raised by Ryanair, which cut its profit by 46% and lowered fares due to consumers' reluctance to pay the already high prices.
The room sales platforms agree with the Irish company's statements. As they told this newspaper, the Spanish client is the most sensitive to price increases, "and the one who is waiting until the last minute to book" in search of a last-minute opportunity. According to the Observatorio Nacional del Turismo Emisor (national observatory of outbound tourism), the agencies mark the rise in prices as the main threat.
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