Preference for national tourist destinations and caution with spending are leading Spanish tourists this summer. This is according to a survey by consultancy firm Braintrust. Furthermore, these developments are making all-inclusive packages popular again, from the need to plan and moderate spending at the destination.
The slowdown in growth within the tourism sector is beginning to show, following the euphoria of 2022 and early 2023. Then, even pre-pandemic levels were surpassed. High prices, due to runaway inflation in recent months, have now caused this growth to slow down. The expected increase is of less than 5%.
According to Braintrust data, total spending in 2019 was €40.85 billion. Summer accounted for 43.86% of total annual spending by domestic travellers. In 2022, total spending was €42.881 billion, with summer accounting for 45.56% of the annual total. Projections suggest that growth in 2023 will be close to 4.76%. Moreover, this confirms the moderation of spending. However, this does assume that the election prospect will not change Spaniards’ travel planning.
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Greater focus on planning and budget
Experts say this caution stems from the depletion of savings that have evaporated. Planning and budget have become more important due to high prices caused by excessive inflation. The lowest income bracket will be the most disadvantaged because, as expected, they will be greatly affected by inflation.
Lower-income travellers in particular will opt for domestic destinations. They can therefore reduce their costs by spending less or by shortening the length of their stay. Long-haul destinations are increasingly reserved for affluent travellers, who are looking for new experiences. Consequently, an upturn in experiential travel can be seen after the pandemic.
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Domestic spending
While domestic spending accounted for 66.6% of total outbound market spending in 2019, it was 83.08% and 83.36% in 2020 and 2021, respectively. In 2022, it dropped to 70.45% with the end of the pandemic. However, it is expected to return to 2019 levels in summer 2023. This is taking into account the fact that the Omicron wave limited international long-haul travel last year.
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All-inclusive trips popular again
Since the pandemic, Spaniards are finding it harder to save. Together with high inflation and the difficulty of meeting household expenses, this is also leading to caution and frugality on holidays. Therefore, Braintrust sees that all-inclusive holidays are once again a popular option. Moreover, it is the best way to control spending on site. The percentage of all-inclusive trips is expected to increase by 33.46% this summer compared to the pre-pandemic period.
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