Tourist flats in Barcelona reach 80% occupancy in August

Barcelona (ACN).- The Association of Tourist Apartments of Barcelona (Apartur) has calculated 80.11% occupancy of tourist flats during the month of August. This data coincides with last year’s data during the same time period when it reached 81.26%. According to Apartur, the slight decline in due to the slope of visitors during the last week of August. On the whole, apartments have had a slightly higher occupancy than last year. The month of June saw 74.30% apartment occupancy, 4.3% higher than June of 2009. July saw a three point rise with 84% compared with 81% from last year.

The Association of Tourist Apartments of Barcelona is waiting on the results on the average occupancy for the whole summer, hoping that September’s results will not bring the amount down below 80%. Apartur has attributed the numbers to the “slow process of recuperation” that the sector is going through. Apartur’s president, David Rida, explained that the improvement in figures is due to the “higher numbers of days people are staying and the recuperation of the North American, French and German markets.” He mentioned that as part of the recovery, businesses from the sector are offering an array of offers and discounts that are justified “in the context of the crisis”. He admitted that “in spite of it not being economically viable, it is what the customer wants”.