So far, people appear to be staying at home for the Constitution Day ‘puente’ with hotel occupancy forecast to average between 45% and 50% in Andalucia. Cities like Córdoba, Granada and Sevilla could see a rate of 60%, whereas in the coastal cities, such as Málaga, it is only expected to be in the region of 30% to 40%.
The lower occupancy rates in the coastal destinations are not unexpected due to the seasonal nature of tourism in these areas, particularly for domestic tourism.
The general outlook for December is not encouraging as far as national tourism is concerned. The economic crisis in general and more specific items such as the loss, in many cases, of the Christmas ‘bonus’ payment, are taking their toll.
As is often the case recently, those in the tourist sector are hoping for a late surge in hotel bookings to save the day, or at least make it less disastrous.
With ever-increasing unemployment, rising prices, pay freezes and cuts, increased direct and indirect taxes and other sundry austerity measures, it cannot be expected that people will go ‘on holiday’ at every possible opportunity throughout the year.