Overnight tourism stays rise across non-hotel options
Across apartments, campsites, rural tourism properties, and hostels, overnight stays climbed by 4.1 percent through the first eleven months of 2023. With one month remaining in the year, the final annual figure is still being determined.
In November, the latest full month available, these accommodation types logged more than 6.4 million overnight stays, a 7.9 percent increase from the same month a year earlier. Looking at the year to date, excluding the summer months of June, July, and August when declines occurred, stays in these high-season options generally grew versus 2022, with several months showing marked gains. The National Institute of Statistics INE provided the latest data.
January marked the strongest growth for the sector, with a 23.7 percent rise. After a summer lull, numbers gradually improved and reached an 8 percent increase by November. The average stay in November stood at 4.5 nights per traveler. The surge from March to November was mainly driven by non-resident visitors, who rose by 9.8 percent, while resident stays increased by 3.7 percent on an annual basis.
Prices in this segment showed mixed trends. The Tourist Apartment Price Index IPAP rose 9.6 percent in November from the previous year. The Camping Price Index IPAC increased by 2.8 percent, and the Rural Tourism Camping Price Index IPTR climbed 4.3 percent.
In flats
Overnight stays in tourist apartments advanced by 6.4 percent in November. Resident stays grew modestly by 0.8 percent, while non-resident stays rose by 7.9 percent. The average stay shortened by 1.5 percent to 5.6 nights per traveler. In November, occupancy reached 32 percent of available capacity, up by 0.3 percentage points, with weekend occupancy at 35.6 percent, down 0.5 points.
Non-resident stays accounted for 79.4 percent of all overnight visits. The United Kingdom remained the main source market with 29.2 percent of total stays, and the Canary Islands stood out as the leading destination with more than 2.2 million overnight stays, rising 2.1 percent from the prior year.
Fields, fashion
Camping stays rose 13.2 percent year over year in November, with residents and non-residents showing nearly identical gains at 13.3 percent and 13.2 percent respectively. Across November, 41.5 percent of all offered camping sites were occupied. Weekend occupancy increased by 9.2 percent and reached 42.7 percent overall.
Non-resident travelers made up 66 percent of total overnight stays. Germany emerged as a leading international market, accounting for 35.3 percent of stays, while the Valencian Community led regional distribution with over 649 thousand overnight stays and a 12.9 percent annual rise.
Rural development continues
Rural tourism accommodation facilities recorded a 4.9 percent increase in overnight stays. Residents rose by 2.1 percent while non-residents advanced by 17.9 percent. Occupied beds reached 12.5 percent of capacity, up 1.3 percentage points, and weekend occupancy stood at 29.4 percent compared to the prior year.
Castilla y Leon stood out as the preferred destination, recording 111,074 overnight stays, up 4.6 percent from the year before.
Hostels take the lead
Hostels posted an all-time high for overnight stays with a 10.2 percent year-over-year increase in November. Domestic resident stays declined by 3.1 percent, while foreign resident stays surged by 20.8 percent. Overall, about 20.6 percent of hostel beds were occupied, up 9.9 percent, and weekend occupancy rose 15.7 percent to 29.8 percent.
In the Community of Madrid, overnight stays reached 93,812, marking a notable peak for the month.