Overview of Imserso 2024-25 and Hotel Industry Responses
Less than a month remains before bookings begin for Imserso 2024-25, a flagship travel program for older adults. This cycle arrives amid renewed criticism from the Valencian Consell and from participating hotels about the low per-person per-day rates that the public initiative, managed by the Ministry of Social Rights, offers to lodging establishments in the Imserso network. Hotel operators argue that the compensation level is not enough to make hosting senior travelers profitable, prompting many to seek other ways to attract clients during the off season.
Mayte García, the secretary general of Hosbec, the Valencian hotel association, highlights a broadly expressed frustration among regional hotels that have historically participated in Imserso. She notes that around a third of the 51 Valencian hotels that joined the program in 2023 may not participate this year, a figure that will become clear when travel sales begin on September 23. García emphasizes the collective dissatisfaction and calls for visible changes to sustain participation in the program.
No one can ignore the stormier backdrop facing the sector, which it regards as desolate. Hotels that are still signing with improvements, García estimates perhaps only one euro more per person per day because their business model has long depended on Imserso. These establishments plan to provide fewer slots to the operator Avoris, mirroring a trend from the previous year where fewer beds were available. This shift makes hotel owners focus more energy on other kinds of clients, a move described as a difficult but necessary adjustment.
Within these parallel strategies, there is a growing push to attract weekend travelers out of season and to emphasize other groups, including a senior tourist who might arrive from other parts of Europe when there is a surge of visitors to the region with strong purchasing power. García insists this approach serves to offset losses from the Imserso program by expanding demand across the broader market.
In pursuit of alternative solutions, the Valencian Tourism Department has signaled plans to launch a program similar to the Travel Bond aimed at senior citizens. The initiative, initially named Silver Bond, is expected to be presented soon by the department led by Nuria Montes. Hosbec views this as evidence that an alternative business model to the current Imserso is possible, though the plan currently features a symbolic budget and a small number of available places, according to García.
Critics within political circles have continued to press for action. The deputy spokesperson for Tourism for the PSPV-PSOE in the regional legislature urged the Consell to provide economic support to hotels to ensure their viability in the region. He pointed to a past framework of five million euros in subsidies introduced by the previous government, highlighting that in 2023 there were subsidies, but the budget was significantly cut in the following year.
The discussions around Imserso illustrate a broader shift in regional tourism strategy as operators seek resilience amid limited public funding and the evolving preferences of travelers who carry higher expectations for value and experience. This tension between public policy and market realities will likely shape decisions across the industry through the upcoming booking season and beyond.