Hotel occupancy in Zaragoza falls to 72.8% this Easter due to weather uncertainty

Easter is a time of traditions, brotherhoods, and family reunions , at venues such as hotels. However, this year’s weather uncertainty has slowed occupancy forecasts for accommodation establishments, according to statements made this Friday by the president of Horeca Hoteles Zaragoza, Antonio Presencio, and the director of the Hotel Catalonia El Pilar, Nacho Guinea.

Thus, business owners have expressed that the predicted rains have slowed the expected pace of bookings , and the hotel occupancy forecast in Zaragoza is estimated at 72.81% , while in 2024 the figure was 81.23%.

Zaragoza and its province offer visitors a wealth of monumental attractions, traditions, art, culture, and gastronomy. This Holy Week in Zaragoza is of international tourist interest and boasts over 700 years of history.

THEY ARE OPTIMISTIC

Despite this, Antonio Presencio remained optimistic , stating that “this weather forecast doesn’t discourage us ,” and he is confident that the peak days of this Easter will see a recovery in last-minute bookings and match or exceed the occupancy figures of previous years . He also emphasized that the figures remain positive, especially on peak days like Good Friday , when they are close to full capacity, and noted an increase in the average stay.

According to the survey carried out, as is customary, among establishments associated with Horeca Hotels Zaragoza and province, the day with the highest occupancy during Holy Week in Zaragoza city is expected to be precisely Good Friday, with a forecast booking rate of 88.78% . Last year, that day was close to full, with a figure above 90.76% . In contrast, Sunday is the day hoteliers expect the lowest occupancy rate, at 48.90%. In 2024, the day with the fewest bookings was Wednesday, although on this occasion the forecast thermometer exceeded 60%.

EMPLOYMENT FORECASTS INCREASE IN THE PROVINCE

The good news is that occupancy forecasts are increasing in the province , as the attraction of the tourist, religious, and cultural events scheduled for these days is boosting tourism . The expected occupancy rate for this year stands at 73.18%, while in 2024 it stood at 68.14% and is very similar to the 2023 figure, which was 71.32%.

As expected, the busiest day during Holy Week in the province will be Friday to Saturday night, when record occupancy is expected to reach 98.56%. During Holy Week 2024, the busiest days were Thursday to Friday and Friday to Saturday nights, with a lower occupancy rate of 79%.

They also wanted to highlight the increase in the average stay in both the capital and the province. Thus, in Zaragoza, it is estimated to reach 2.55 days , having been 2.21 days during the same period in 2024. In the province, the average stay is expected to reach 2.44 days , while in the same period in 2024 it stood at 2 days and in 2023 it barely reached 1.71.

DECLINE IN INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS

On the other hand, international tourists are slightly down , both in the capital and the province. According to data, in Zaragoza , 13.45% of visitors are expected to be from abroad this Easter , compared to 18.22% in 2024. In the province, they have fallen from 15.25% in 2024 to an expected 10.56%.

Likewise, Presencio explained that the number of international tourists will increase starting in spring, potentially reaching 30% occupancy of this type of traveler, considering it “very important because it helps us deseasonalize.”

In Zaragoza, visitors come from Madrid, Valencia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Castile and León, Navarre, Barcelona, ​​and Aragon . In the province , visitors come from Madrid, Catalonia, Valencia, the Basque Country, and Aragon, respectively, and international visitors come from Portugal, France, and Germany .

THEY TRUST IN RECOVERING VISITORS

Horeca Hoteles Zaragoza has emphasized that the hotel and lodging sector is a fundamental pillar of tourism and one of the main drivers of the economy in Aragon . Thus, although this Easter week is not showing good results, in principle, the sector is confident of recovering visitors through last-minute bookings.

Horeca Hoteles Zaragoza also advocates working with the Zaragoza brand to revive tourism in the Aragonese capital and place it in its rightful place as the fourth largest capital in Spain, highlighting its tourist appeal and that of its hospitality sector, as synonymous with trust and quality. For this business association, the brand must highlight its great historical and cultural heritage and underline Zaragoza’s immense qualities as a tourist destination, from a unique and attractive perspective, capable of differentiating the city and putting it on the international tourism map.

ABOUT HORECA HOTELS IN ZARAGOZA AND THE PROVINCE

The Hotel Entrepreneurs Association of Zaragoza and Province, Horeca Hoteles, is a sectoral and provincial business organization made up of entrepreneurs from the hospitality sector in the province of Zaragoza. Founded in 1977, it is currently the largest and strongest association in the sector in Zaragoza. Its objectives are to coordinate, represent, manage, promote, and defend the interests of companies in the sector, as well as to foster greater economic and social development for this business community.

It acts as an intermediary with the administration, social stakeholders, and other organizations and institutions, and serves as its public voice and image in the media. The organization is integrated into the Zaragoza Federation of Hospitality Entrepreneurs (HORECA Zaragoza), along with HORECA Restaurants, and the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (CEHAT), serving on its executive committees.