Business travel has become the main driver of hotel occupancy in Elche during March. According to data from the Association of Tourist Companies of Elche (AETE), the occupancy rate reached 78%, a figure that exceeds by 1.6 percentage points that recorded in the same period last year. However, this figure is almost three points below that of February.
Despite the increase in occupancy, the average room price stood at 74.09 euros, only 38 cents more than a year ago. The association warns that this price is insufficient to cover rising costs, affecting the profitability of hotel businesses due to inflation and increased expenses.
“"These data compromise profitability as a consequence of growing inflation and the corresponding increase in costs borne by hotel businesses."
Weekends recorded the best occupancy figures, with rates close to 90%, thanks to the contribution of professional, cultural, and sports events. The main motivation for bookings was business travel, accounting for 53.6% of occupancy, compared to 46.4% for leisure guests. National clients represented 60.4% of bookings, surpassing international clients (39.6%). Among foreign travelers, the most numerous were from the United Kingdom (23.2%), followed by those from France (12.8%), Italy (11.1%), and Germany (10.8%).
In the national context, hotel occupancy in February was 53.5%, with an average price of 116.32 euros and an average stay of 2.82 days. Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport recorded 1,609,368 passengers in March, with a year-on-year increase of 9.1%, setting a new record for this month.
For April, the entity expects a positive evolution of tourism in Elche but remains cautious due to the ongoing conflict in Iran, which could have undesirable effects on international demand due to uncertainty in fuel supply and a generalized price increase.
