The hotels of the Costa Brava face Easter Week with available places and reservations that are around 60%, awaiting the usual last-minute push and how the weather evolves in the days prior to the holidays. The bulk of the demand, once again, is concentrated in national and proximity tourism.
The Union of Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurs of the Costa Brava Centre places that occupancy level at around 60% for now. Its manager, Judith Lloberol, warns that it is a provisional snapshot, because in this final stretch new reservations can still come in or cancellations can occur depending on the weather.
"Now we are at 60% of reservations" Judith Lloberol, manager of Costa Brava Centre
Reserves concentrated in the last days
The sector takes for granted that the campaign will be decided in large part in the days immediately prior to Holy Week. Lloberol remarks that this behavior repeats year after year and that the client waits until the last minute more and more before confirming the stay. The final occupancy, therefore, remains conditioned to that last-minute evolution and also to the weather forecast.
"Normally during Holy Week it already happens that people book a lot at the last minute. Therefore, still these days reservations or even cancellations can come in, depending on the weather" Judith Lloberol, manager of Costa Brava Centre
The Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of the Regions of Girona manages a broader forecast for the province as a whole, with an expected occupancy of between 60% and 80%. The entity also notes that the visitor delays the decision until the last moment and points out, furthermore, that the geopolitical situation may influence the campaign's behavior.
More weight of proximity tourism
The majority profile will again be the domestic visitor. In the Central Costa Brava, national and local tourism is especially expected, while in the whole of the Girona regions, the hotel federation especially points to that coming from the province of Barcelona.
Lloberol also observes a change in the demand pattern. The sector's feeling is that Easter works less and less as a full week of vacation and more as a long weekend, with the highest concentration of visitors starting from Friday, April 3, when the peak of the campaign is expected.
"In recent years we have the feeling that it is not a week. Yes, it is Holy Week, but touristically it is a long weekend" Judith Lloberol, manager of Costa Brava Centre
Second residence and restoration
Along with hotel occupancy, the sector foresees significant movement linked to second homes. That flow can have a direct impact on bars and restaurants on the coast, who are confident in an increase in activity during the holidays.
"The restaurants will be full or we want them to be full, of course" Judith Lloberol, manager of Costa Brava Centre
In the tourist apartment market, the Tourist Apartment Association Costa Brava and Girona Pyrenees maintains similar prospects to those of other years. Its president, Esther Torrent, emphasizes that the weather will once again be decisive and adds another element that can distribute visitors among different destinations, the good snow season, which can divert part of the demand between the coast and the mountains.
Last-minute behavior once again marks the campaign in hotels and apartments. With this scenario, the tourism sector of the Costa Brava faces the coming days pending of the sky, of the pace of entry of bookings and of a proximity visitor who will once again be key to measure the final result of Easter Week.