Hotel turnover in Barcelona fell an average of 13% in October, according to the latest statistics from the Guild of Hotels of Barcelona based on its over 400 associated establishments.
Occupation, meanwhile, fell to 83%, seven points down on the previous month. At the same time, the average price of a room was 147€ (£132, $173), a fall of nine euros in a month.
The president of the Guild of Hotels, Jordi Clos, described the figures as "very worrying" and linked the fall mainly to the political conflict between the Catalan and Spanish governments after the 1st October referendum, placing less emphasis on the terrorist attacks on 17th August, the "vandalism" against the tourism sector and the strike at Barcelona-El Prat airport this summer.
40% fall for New Year's
"This situation hinders investment in the tourism sector, creates tensions in assets and makes companies plan to reduce their structure," said the Guild's president. He said that November is suffering from "the same symptoms" as October, and that reserves for December and the first trimester of 2018 are pointing in the same direction. As an example, Clos cited a 40% reduction in hotel reservations in the city for New Year's in comparison with last year.
The Guild's president also expressed his regret for the effects on the hotel sector of some 2,500 companies changing their registered head offices, of whom a thousand have also changed their tax addresses. "That means that the meetings of the management of these entities will take place outside of Barcelona". He said that the current situation "is a shame, because until July it had been a fantastic year, but I don't want to be pessimistic".