Many hotels in Spain have struggled all year to achieve full occupancy rates and this trend has carried over into the current high season in different parts of the country. The main reason still seems to be the fall in demand because of the economic crisis in Spain and abroad but many also ascribe the woes of the hotel sector in Spain to the increase in supply created during the construction boom of a few years ago.

For this reason, it is now possible to find last minute deals with discounts of up to 50 percent in some hotels in Spain. However, the most common discounts appear to be in the region of 15 percent. It would appear to be easier to find discounts on hotels in the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands as these two areas appear to have suffered more than others from the fall in demand from the German market.

Nevertheless, there appears to be a slight recovery this summer as overall there are fewer discounts in hotels in Spain than in 2009, which was a particularly difficult year for the tourism sector. According to Joan Molas, president of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (CEHAT)”The situation last August was very unusual and this year it appears as if we have been able to maintain near normal occupancy rates in many hotels in Spain. There are last-minute deals to be had, but not as many as last year”. According to CEHAT, the hotels on the Costa Dorada are registering occupancy rates of 90% or even more for this month. On the Costa Brava too prices have increased steadily and according to the manager of Costa Brava Centre Group, Marti Sabrià, the hotels in this area are also around 90% booked up, so they do not need to reduce their prices.

In its latest report from July, however, Exceltur, an association which includes airlines and hotels, concluded that the spiral of offers and discounts is becoming well established in the tourist sector in Spain. And, according to the National Institute of Statistics, hotel rates have fallen in the hotels in Spain for 19 consecutive months.

If you are still looking for a good deal on accommodation in Spain and are flexible on travel dates, Hotels Spain recommends putting off your trip until the main tourism season ends in Spain at the end of this month and consider a trip to the Canary Islands in September or October. The weather will still be good and we are confident there will be some great deals to be had and the resorts will be a lot less crowded.