Accommodation in tourist apartments went up in the Canary Islands by 10.2% in March, to 2.1 million, being the favourite destination for this type of lodging, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), which adds that the archipelago also had the highest occupancy rate with 81.2% of the offer.
Likewise, by tourist areas, Tenerife was the preferred destination with 716,542 overnight stays; and Lanzarote had the highest occupancy rate with 90.5% of the flats on offer. Meanwhile, the tourist destinations with the highest number of overnight stays in March were San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Gran Canaria), Arona (Tenerife) and Tías (Lanzarote).
In Spain as a whole, overnight stays in non-hotel tourist accommodation (flats, campsites, rural tourism accommodation and hostels) exceeded 6.9 million last March, which represents an increase of 15.7% in the interannual rate. In addition, the INE points out that there was an increase in prices in all modalities, especially in flats, where the cost of accommodation increased by more than 9%.
On the eve of Easter Week, which this year was held in April, overnight stays by resident travellers in non-hotel tourist accommodation in Spain increased by 20.4% and those of non-residents by 13.4%. Of the almost 7 million overnight stays registered in Spain last March, 2.3 million were made by residents in Spain, 2.5 million by travellers from the European Union and the rest, another 2 million, by travellers from other parts of the world.
The average stay was 4.3 overnight stays per traveller, according to data from the statistics institute. As a result, during the first three months of 2023, overnight stays in Spain in non-hotel accommodation increased by 17.3% compared with the same period the previous year.
INCREASED DEMAND FOR TOURIST APPARTMENTS
Overnight stays registered in tourist apartments increased by 10.2% in March compared to the same month in 2022. Those of residents increased by 4.9% and those of non-residents by 11.9%. The average stay decreased by 5.9%, standing at 5.4 overnight stays per traveller, with 32% of the available bedplaces occupied, 6.1% more than a year earlier. The weekend occupancy rate by bedplaces stood at 36%, up 4%.
Overnight stays by non-residents in tourist apartments accounted for 77.5% of the total. The United Kingdom was the main source market with a total of one million overnight stays, followed by German visitors with 388,838.
By destinations, the Canary Islands was the favourite in extra-hotel accommodation in Spain with more than 2.1 million overnight stays, which represents an increase of 10.2% compared to March last year. This community also has the highest occupancy, with 81.2% of the flats on offer.
By tourist areas, the Island of Tenerife is the preferred destination, with a total of 716,542 overnight stays. On the other hand, the island of Lanzarote has the highest occupancy rate, with 90.5% of the apartments on offer. According to the Spanish Statistics Institute, the tourist resorts with the highest number of overnight stays in March were San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Arona and Tías.
The INE data also show an increase in the number of overnight stays in campsites in Spain, which rose by 27.6% compared to March of the previous year. Those made by residents grew by 50.2% while those made by non-residents increased by 15.8%.
During March, 39.7% of the pitches on offer were occupied, 8.7% more than in the same month of 2022. The weekend occupancy rate reached 42.1%, with an annual increase of 9.3%. Non-resident travellers accounted for 59.6% of overnight stays on campsites. Germany was the main issuing market, with 34.5% of the total number of non-residents, 19.9% more than in March 2022.
By destinations, the Valencian Community was the favourite in campsites, with 690,538 overnight stays, representing an increase of 17.7% in annual rate. It also has the highest occupancy rate, with 62.1% of the pitches on offer.
By tourist areas, the Costa Blanca (Alicante) was the favourite with a total of 331,210 overnight stays. This area also has the highest occupancy rate, with 77.5% of the pitches on offer. The tourist spots with the highest number of overnight stays were Benidorm, Cartagena and Cabanes, according to the INE.
Rural tourism accommodation also had a good month, with an annual increase of 17.5% in March. Those of residents grew by 14.6% and those of non-residents by 27.2%. In rural tourism accommodation, 13.1% of the bedplaces were occupied, 15.7% more than in March 2022. The weekend occupancy rate stood at 26.8%, with an annual decrease of 1.3%.
By country regions, Castilla y León was the preferred destination, with 103,940 overnight stays, 17.4% more than in March 2022. The Balearic Islands achieved the highest occupancy rate, with 39.6% of the bedplaces offered. By tourist areas, the Island of Majorca was the preferred destination, with 55,843 overnight stays. The Corona Forestal Natural Park reached the highest occupancy rate, with 42.2% of the bedplaces offered.
Finally, a total of 436,434 overnight stays were recorded in Spanish hostels in March, representing an increase of 23%. Resident overnight stays increased by 29.4% and non-resident overnight stays by 16.1%. 21% of the bedplaces were occupied, 4.1% more than in March 2022, with the Community of Madrid being the preferred destination with 84,145 overnight stays. The Balearic Islands achieved the highest occupancy in this segment, with 61.8% of the bedplaces offered.
CANARY ISLANDS: THE PRICES GO UP
The INE has also released the prices of this type of accommodation, which increased in all modalities. Thus, the Tourist Apartment Price Index (IPAP) rose by 9.6% in March with respect to the same month in 2022, the Campsite Price Index (IPAC) by 5%, and the Rural Tourism Price Index (IPTR) by 4.4%.
With all these data, the INE indicates that overnight stays in Spanish collective tourist accommodation as a whole (also including hotels) increased by 16.7% in March in annual rate. Those of residents increased by 15.1% and those of non-residents by 17.7%. The average length of stay fell by 4.6% to 3.1 overnight stays per traveller.
Of the total number of overnight stays in collective tourist accommodation, 74.9% corresponded to hotels and 25.1% to non-hotel tourist accommodation. The main issuing markets for all regulated tourist accommodation in Spain were the British (with 24.8% of the total number of overnight stays by non-residents), German (18.1%) and French (6.3%).
The Canary Islands was once again the preferred destination, with more than 8 million overnight stays (8.8% more than in March 2022). It was followed by Andalusia, with more than 4.5 million (and an increase of 20.1%) and Catalonia, with more than 4.5 million (and an increase of 20.1%) and Catalonia, with more than 3.7 million (and an annual increase of 25%).
