Jorge Marichal (CEHAT): Sun and beach tourism accounts for 60% of hotel beds
8% of the municipalities, sun and beach resorts, which account for more than 60% of Spanish tourism, generated more than 133 billion euros in 2024 and attracted almost 70% of the total tourist demand.
The president of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (CEHAT) points out that the supply of accommodation is closely associated with this type of tourism, which accounts for 60% of all beds in our country.
How important is sun and beach tourism in Spain?
It would be a mistake to talk about tourism in Spain and not to assimilate it, at first glance, with sun and beach. We should be proud to be a country that has based its tourist experience on the sun and the beach right from the start. But that doesn’t mean that we are only a country of sun and sand. I believe that things have changed a lot and, above all, inland tourism, experiential tourism, cities and heritage tourism, for example, gastronomic tourism, are tourist experiences that have been developing in the wake of this strong demand for something that we are very good at and internationally recognised for, such as sun and beach.
What figures can you give us for this type of tourism?
Of course, given the importance of the sector, the figures speak for themselves. 8% of Spain's municipalities, sun and beach resorts, account for more than 60% of Spanish tourism. In 2024, they generated more than 133 billion euros and attracted almost 70% of the total inbound tourist demand.
What does this type of tourism mean for the hotel sector?
The supply of accommodation is also closely associated with sun and beach tourism, with practically 60% of all beds in our country. And, as I say, to think of our country is to think of sun and beach. It is therefore a very important sector; the most important economically. That’s why we must continue to support it.
What challenges and structural challenges is this tourism model currently facing in our country?
The challenge for this tourism is to generate added value around this sun and beach experience. In other words, the challenge is to keep in mind that we are very good at doing something, that it is a sector that works, but that also needs to keep reinventing itself every day to continue generating added value and new experiences for customers. We cannot afford to continue with the same approaches on the table all the time.
On the other hand, we have to make the political class see that we must continue to investing in sun and beach tourism. There is money to be made because this sector is working well, so it must be fair and keep the sun and beach destinations in perfect order to keep customers loyalty.