In Barcelona hotels, a practical hourglass challenge nudges guests toward four-minute showers in line with WHO guidance
In the rooms of Yurbban hotels in Barcelona, guests encounter a shower routine designed to curb water use. The hourglass on the shower wall marks four minutes, aligning with the World Health Organization’s recommended shower duration. The hospitality industry has embraced measures to lower water use without compromising guest comfort. While some hotel groups began adopting conservation practices years ago, many are intensifying their efforts to support drought resilience and sustainable travel. Automatic faucets and recirculating pool systems are paired with innovative ideas that encourage guests to reduce waste.
There are no national figures detailing a tourist’s daily water consumption, but recent data from Barcelona provides a broader view. On average, a hotel guest uses about 163.5 liters of water per day. A report from the Gremi d’Hotels de Barcelona notes that cleaning, irrigation, and pool maintenance are not always included in the typical per-room calculation, compared with the 127 liters consumed by a city resident in a hotel room. When additional facilities are counted, the City Council’s regional data show consumption reaching around 194 liters per person per day. Over the past seven years, hotel water use in Barcelona has fallen by roughly 40%, reflecting growing awareness and industry measures that curb consumption without compromising service.
Miguel Ángel Sotillos, president of the Spanish Federation of Tourist Housing and Apartment Associations (FEVITUR), observes that a key difference between tourists and locals is that people may overlook traditional practices while on vacation. This year, however, both residents and visitors face the same water constraints. About 38% of Spain is on alert or in drought conditions, with Catalonia imposing restrictions in 24 municipalities due to limited rainfall. In popular coastal areas, showers at beaches in Benidorm now use salt water to conserve drinking water. In Malaga, where drought was severe, city water showers were cut off at beaches from early August, leading to a pause in some water-based attractions. The drought trend continues across the peninsula, prompting authorities to inform the public about conservation where drought has intensified, notes Sotillos.
Comprehensive water management
Spain has returned to pre-pandemic tourism levels, and the industry seeks responsible management rather than criticism. Many operators have implemented measures such as dual-stage storage tanks and vent cocks to halve flow. A shift away from bathtubs toward showers is another widely adopted change in hospitality facilities.
Water reuse is a preferred strategy among leading hotel brands. Meliá Hotels International promotes gray-water recovery for toilets and exterior cleaning as well as rainwater harvesting for garden irrigation. Barceló Hotels invested in 2022 to install presence sensors on taps, along with flow and pressure reducers, and to acquire water-reuse systems to boost savings. Facilities also focus on upgrading devices to maximize efficiency.
Technology is a valuable ally in daily conservation. Meliá launched a digital twin of the water infrastructure for two hotels, one in Tenerife and the other in Palma de Mallorca, to model water footprints with automation. When this project concludes in 2025, the plan is to extend the approach to additional properties. The group notes that continuous monitoring and operational control contribute to reduced water use. Barceló reports a similar capability, centralizing meters for ongoing monitoring and analysis of consumption.
awareness
Beyond infrastructure upgrades, hospitality providers are educating guests. Yurbban is not alone in challenging guests to conserve water. At Barceló, rooms feature a QR code in the shower that links to a four-minute audio playlist, encouraging guests to stay within WHO guidance and minimize water use.
Ultimately, awareness drives change. Gremi d’Hotels de Barcelona has supplied graphic materials to city hotels to encourage mindful water use, and posters are increasingly visible across the region. Regions with higher drought risk, such as Andalusia and the Valencian Community, have invited guests to conserve water for years, a message now echoed in homes across Spain. Sotillos adds that the overarching aim is to be as green as possible.