Clúster

Before to close the August, Galicia has exceeded 5 million overnights in the year to date, 1.7 million alone in this July

Our community mark four consecutive years of growth in hotel demand in the summer period

With the data of total occupation of July in Galicia in hand, the Galician tourist sector augurs that this has been a summer of record. Before close August, the Galician tourism summer season closes with the feeling that this year will mark a historic ceiling on the influx of tourists to Galicia. Just this July, Galicia has received 731,173 travelers in all, including hotel establishments and extra-hotels (grouping apartments, camping, rural tourism and hostels), which meant an increase of 7.52% over the same period last year.

As for overnights, have risen this month to 1.71 million, with a percentage increase of 14% compared to July 2015. These figures represent a record high in our community both travelers and overnight stays and assume that Galicia scores four years of consecutive growth in hotel demand in the summer period. plus it is the first time that Galicia over 700,000 travelers in this period. In the full year Galicia has already surpassed the figure of 2.5 million passengers and more than 5 million overnight stays for the first time in its history, a record if we have in mind that in 2015 5.4 million overnights were reached end of August.

Improved profitability
Explains the president of the Tourism Cluster of Galicia, Francisco González, “the most significant of the summer period has been that the first half of July and the second in August, traditionally lower occupations that central fortnights summer, have had a behavior extraordinary, so, in the absence of knowing the final August data, we expect record figures for Galician tourism. ” “These are very positive figures endorse the work done by the sector and the harmony with the public administration” although he qualifies, “we must not lose sight of one of our horses ballata, profitability, still far from the national average and that, although improved, is not enough to speak of a competitive sector “.

“It will take several years to recoup the losses suffered during the years of crisis in the sector he was able to adapt to the situation and lower prices that are now on the road to recovery.” An improvement in profitability that extends to the entire value chain of tourism in Galicia and is “the path on which we must continue working, betting on increasing investment to modernize tourism infrastructure that will allow us to have a sector modern tourist, professional, competivo and in defintiva, top quality. “

International market and consumer habits
Excellent weather conditions linked to the problems of insecurity in other European and international destinations have also resulted in a greater influx of foreign tourists represented in July 18% of the total, especially from Portugal, France and United Kingdom , according to data collected in Frontur, plus a significant upturn in domestic tourism.

To these factors we can link the effect called the Way of Saint James, our great ambassador, or the impact of major events such as La Vuelta or music festivals, for example, they have led to increased visitors directly during the event, but also help to promote international round. These are all elements that have contributed to this growth in tourist destination, which continues still maintaining excellent value despite this summer prices have experienced a slight increase, allowing improve profitability in the tourism sector as a whole.

The price increase in hotels is very likely not move to the same extent or to increase spending or the average stay, largely because the tourist profile has changed, travel more and more times. “It’s a tourist consumes more diverse, not just sun and sand, demanding a higher consumption of activities, especially related to culture and heritage, which is precisely where we should continue to work, relying on the creation of new tourism products adapted your needs, and always from the perspective of professionalization and the seasonality of supply”, explains the President of the cluster, who says that among the challenges the sector is “generating more activity to consume at destination, and reinforce the attractiveness of Galicia throughout the year, in addition to improving the ratios of average stay, probably not provide a significant increase”.