Service Industry Shows Strong Growth Across Regions and Sectors
The service sector posted a notable advance in turnover in April, reflecting a broad-based rebound after a year of pandemic-related contractions. In a report released by the National Institute of Statistics, the industry recorded a 24.5% year-over-year increase versus April 2021, widening the gain by 6.5 percentage points from the prior month. This pattern underscores a sustained upswing as the calendar moved into spring, signaling a receding impact of restrictions and a resurgent demand from consumers and businesses alike. These figures highlight the sector’s resilience and its key role in driving overall economic momentum across the country.
As April progressed, one of the most dynamic chains within services continued to lead a streak that began in May 2021. The sector has shown annual growth for fourteen consecutive months, marking a strong rebound after the downturn seen in the pandemic year. This sequence reinforces the notion that services, especially those tied to hospitality and leisure, are recovering more quickly than other segments.
Within services, the hotel and accommodation subsector, along with food and beverage services, emerged as the strongest performers in April. Turnover in this group rose by more than tenfold relative to April 2021, registering an impressive 105.2% increase. This surge reflects not only a normalization of traveler activity but also a shift in consumer spending toward experiences and hospitality once again.
Separately, the hosting services category surpassed expectations, with sales more than quadrupling year over year. The April annual rate climbed to +350.1%, while food and beverage services showed a 63.5% year-over-year rise. These robust gains contrasted with more modest increases in prior months, signaling a renewed vigor in consumer willingness to dine out, stay in accommodations, and enjoy social occasions.
Beyond hospitality, other segments within services experienced rapid gains. Travel agencies and tour operators saw sales multiply by more than five times (+455%), and air transportation surged by over twofold (+222.2%). These results point to a rebound in outbound travel, corporate travel, and freight activity as borders reopen and logistics networks stabilize.
On a monthly basis, seasonally and calendar-adjusted data show a 7% increase in services sales for April, the largest monthly uptick since July 2020 when many restrictions began to ease. The pace suggests a strong catch-up effect and an accumulating sense of confidence among firms and households.
Employment in the service sector also climbed for the thirteenth consecutive month, recording a year-over-year rise of 5.4%. This marks the largest year-over-year gain since the series began in January 2002 and reflects improving hiring conditions across multiple subsectors, particularly those tied to consumer-facing activities.
The Balearic Islands led in job creation within services, while the overall sales performance was strongest in the region that posted an annual increase of 26.2% in April. The year-over-year improvement for this region stood at 61.5%, illustrating how regional dynamics can diverge even as the national trend remains positive. For researchers and policymakers in North America, these patterns offer meaningful parallels to domestic service industries, where tourism, hospitality, and logistics often drive the most pronounced recoveries.
Overall, the April data portray a service sector that is regaining momentum after a difficult period. The combination of rising turnover, job growth, and regional variation points to a gradual return to pre-pandemic activity levels, while still leaving room for continued evolution in consumer behavior and global travel patterns. Analysts will be watching how seasonal factors, inflation dynamics, and policy support influence the pace of the recovery in the coming months, both at home and in markets with high exposure to travel and leisure.