Spanish vacation rental bookings in August surpass pre-pandemic levels

MADRID, July 21 (Reuters) – Spanish vacation rentals for August are more booked than before the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to domestic tourism and the perception that rented properties are safer than hotels , said Rentalia, Spain’s leading holiday booking site, on Wednesday.

The occupancy rate of apartments and houses rented to tourists during the summer is expected to reach 89.2% next month, 12 percentage points above last year’s levels and just above 88.5 % recorded in 2019, before the pandemic hit, Rentalia said.

The highest rates, above 94%, are expected in the Balearic Islands of Menorca and Mallorca, as well as in the mainland resort town of Alicante.

Domestic tourists staying in Spain amid persistent travel restrictions in many countries, as well as the feeling that a rented property offers a safer environment than a hotel, have boosted demand, said the Director of Rentalia, Almudena Ucha.

“In addition, given the restrictions on leisure activities in some areas, many families or groups are looking for accommodation where they can host parties without being affected by the limitations,” she said.

Spain’s tourism industry has been devastated by travel restrictions imposed last year to curb the pandemic.

Only 19 million foreign tourists came to Spain in 2020, compared to more than 80 million before the pandemic. The irregular easing of restrictions has brought back some tourists, although authorities are only expecting about half of foreign tourists this summer compared to before the pandemic.

Reporting by Cristina Galán Editing by Inti Landauro and Peter Graff

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