In March a strong performance was recorded in Spain’s hotel sector, with overnight stays topping 20.6 million. Hotels reported an average of 99.3 euros per occupied room, up by 11% from the previous year, while revenue per available room (revPAR) rose sharply as occupancy improved. INE data highlight a robust first quarter and a busy spring season for many destinations across the country.
Travelers residing in Spain accounted for over 8 million overnight stays, representing a substantial portion of total demand, while more than 12.6 million overnight stays were attributed to non-residents, underscoring Spain’s appeal to international visitors.
Although the average length of stay slightly declined, finishing at 2.8 nights per traveler, this compares to last year and remains consistent with a period of strong tourism activity in the country.
For the first three months of the year, Spain saw a 26.6% year-over-year rise in overnight stays, reaching levels similar to the same period in 2019. This signals a continued rebound in domestic and inbound tourism as travel patterns normalize post-pandemic.
Among the autonomous communities, Andalusia, the Valencian Community, and Catalonia emerged as the top domestic destinations in March, attracting 19.8%, 13.6%, and 12.9% of Spain-resident travelers respectively. For international visitors, the Canary Islands led with 41.6% of total overnight stays, followed by Catalonia and Andalusia with 16.4% and 14% respectively.
In March, about half of the available rooms were occupied, rising 11.9% on the year. On a beds basis, weekend occupancy climbed to 59.5%, up from the previous period.
Across the country, the Canary Islands posted the highest bed occupancy rate at 71.7% in March, with the Community of Madrid close behind at 56%.
By tourist area, the southern regions, particularly Great Canary and Tenerife, showed strong weekend dynamics, with occupancy peaking at 76.4% in Tenerife on weekends. Tenerife Island also recorded the highest number of overnight stays in March, with around 2.1 million.
Barcelona, Madrid, and San Bartolomé de Tirajana were among the top locations for overnight stays in March. Arona stood out for bed occupancy at 77.8% and for weekend occupancy at 79.3%, signaling strong demand in key destinations.
Nationality data indicated that visitors from Germany and the United Kingdom accounted for most stays, with the UK representing 23.5% and Germany 18.1% of total overnight stays. Stays by travelers from France, the United States, and Italy accounted for 6.7%, 5.3%, and 4.6% respectively.
Price increase
The INE data show a significant lift in prices, with the Hotel Price Index (IPH) rising by 10.5% year over year in March. This pace is 12.2 points lower than the spike seen in March 2022 and 0.6 points lower than February, illustrating a cooling compared with the previous year while still indicating healthy price growth overall.
Catalonia and Melilla reported the strongest price increases versus March 2022, at 18.2% and 13.5% respectively, while Cantabria saw the smallest rise at 0.3%. The category with the largest price increase was five-star properties, rising 18.3% year over year.
Increase billing
The average daily rate (ADR) for occupied rooms stood at 99.3 euros in March, up 11% from March of the previous year. INE also notes that revPAR reached a substantial level, with an overall figure around 62.2 euros, reflecting a 23.8% improvement tied to occupancy dynamics.
ADR by category showed 231.5 euros for five-star hotels, 102.3 euros for four-star properties, and 76.2 euros for three-star accommodations. Corresponding revPAR figures stood at 149.5 euros for five-star, 72.4 euros for four-star, and 48.7 euros for three-star hotels, highlighting strong performance among higher-end segments.
Tourist spots with the highest ADR included Naut Aran at 172.5 euros per occupied room, while Adeje led revPAR with 148.9 euros per available room, according to INE data. This combination demonstrates how top destinations leverage mix, capacity, and pricing to maximize revenue during peak travel periods.