Ana M. López
Research expert covering travel, tourism and hospitality
Hotel industry in Spain - statistics & facts
The Spanish hotel industry contributes a great deal to its country’s economy, and it is also one of the main drivers of the entire European market. In 2023, the volume of hotel asset transactions in Spain was the highest registered in Europe, up to approximately three billion euros. Within the top ten European cities for this type of business that same year, three are also in Spain: Madrid, Barcelona, and Ibiza. As a leading player in this industry, several international chains are part of the Spanish hotel landscape. At the top of the 2023 ranking was the U.S. American company Marriott International, accounting for approximately 14,000 rooms. Nonetheless, domestic hotel chains are the market leaders, with Meliá Hotels International and Barceló Hotel Group at the top of the list.
The hotel industry in Spain is strongly driven by international tourists. In 2023, foreign overnight travelers made up more than half of the total number of overnight travelers at hotels and hostels in the country. Meanwhile, most domestic travelers would rather stay at other types of accommodation.
How is the hotel industry made up in Spain?
In the last years, the number of registered companies operating in the hotel industry in Spain – which includes hostels, apartment hotels, and motels – has remained relatively stagnant at over 12,000, except for 2018 when the number peaked at 13.5 thousand. Most Spanish hotel companies fall under the category ‘microbusinesses’, with over half of them employing up to two people.The hotel industry in Spain is strongly driven by international tourists. In 2023, foreign overnight travelers made up more than half of the total number of overnight travelers at hotels and hostels in the country. Meanwhile, most domestic travelers would rather stay at other types of accommodation.
Hotel demand
The main country of origin for international hotel guests in Spain in 2023 was the United Kingdom. In that year, British tourists spent nearly 58 million overnight stays at hotel establishments, which was almost half of the number of stays recorded by domestic overnight travelers. With summer as the main season for the industry, August is usually the month with the highest bed occupancy rate, with percentages above 70 before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
