tourism

Catalonia welcomed 11.2 million international visitors from January to July, a 9.4% increase since 2016

With 30 million visitors expected to come this year, some locals feel the city is about to reach the tipping point

Initiative to regulate unlicensed vacation rentals draws criticism from hotel sector amid growing tensions over visitor numbers

Number of visitors from overseas rises 9.7% to over two million in a single month

Labor conflict causes third day of long lines at security checkpoints with passengers complaining of a lack of information and some missing their flights

President Rajoy’s opening of new hotel where hundreds were killed in 1707 makes many Lleida inhabitants very uncomfortable

Some 16 million people visiting the country every year calls for a sustainable model of tourism

Initiative proposed by conservative Democrats group to charge tour operators for bringing one-day visitors into the city to become effective in 2018

La Vinyeta winery, Mas Llagostera country house and Wine Road Association the winners of Wine Tourism 2017

A report shows that the economic recovery and the arrival of tenants with a higher income have an influence on the market

Coastal destinations to feel the brunt with occupancy rates of over 90%, while top  inland choices expect 8 out of 10 rooms to be full in August

From May 13th to May 21st Girona will host the 62º edition of Temps de Flors, an annual flower festival in which the streets and monuments are decorated with floral displays. This year, the event has grown and now adds 22 new areas. One of the novelties will be some floral arrangements and mirrors placed in the bomb shelter of the Jardins de la Infància (Childhood Gardens). In addition, a green itinerary of 3 km will allow to discover unusual views of the Cathedral of Sant Pere.

The Catalan economy is getting stronger, according to the latest growth figures published on Thursday by the Catalan Ministry of Economy and the Office of Statistics (IDESCAT). Catalan GDP grew 0.7% between January and March, a 0.2% increase in comparison with the two previous quarters. The labor market is also improving, with April figures showing the largest decrease in unemployment in that month in 21 years. With 425,751 people without jobs, Catalonia is reaching the pre-crisis levels of unemployment. The official data shows that unemployment fell by 4.54% between March and April 2017, and by 12% year-on-year.

The number of international tourists which visited Catalonia during the first trimester of 2017 grew by 4% in comparison to the same period last year, totaling 2,988,238. Thus, Catalonia continues to be the second most popular destination for international tourists which visit Spain, after the Canary Islands, which welcomed 3,661,246 visitors during the first three months of 2017. Indeed, one out of four international tourists in Spain went to Catalonia. In March alone, 1,151,664 visitors from across the globe travelled to Catalonia, 7% more than in the same month in 2016. Most of them (22%) came from France whereas 14% came from other countries in Europe.

American Airlines new direct link between Barcelona-El Prat airport and Chicago is expected to increase the airline's passengers in Catalonia by 15%. The new flight will operate from the 6th of May and will be offered alongside the current flights to Miami and New York. American Airlines also flies seasonally direct from Barcelona to Charlotte and Philadelphia. The Regional Sales Director of American Airlines in Spain and Portugal, José A. Blázquez, confirmed these figures in a press conference this Tuesday in the Catalan capital. Barcelona is a key destination for American tourists, said the U.S. Consul General, Marcos C. Mandojana, who highlighted the growing number of connections from Catalonia to his country.