The prices of hotels, hostels, pensions and similar accommodation services in Spain shot up 32% in the last year, according to data from the Consumer price index (IPC) published this Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics, which nevertheless detects a moderation in air fares.
This tourist record has scored a increase of 9.9% monthly variation in March, which triples the figure registered on average in the rest of the national economic values.
According to INE dataprices rose 3% in March compared to the previous month and suddenly raised their year-on-year rate more than two points, to 9.8%, its highest value in 37 years, specifically since May 1985, according to data published this Wednesday.
The statistical institute assures that the year-on-year rise in the CPI to 9.8% is due to the rebound in electricity and heating oil prices; the increase in fuel prices for personal vehicles; the increase in the prices of restaurants and lodging services, and the “generalized” increase in food prices, especially fish and shellfish, meat, legumes and vegetables, and milk, cheese and eggs.
On the other hand, the prices of holiday centres, campsites, youth hostels and similar accommodation services remained unchanged in March compared to February, accumulating a rise of 1.7% in the last year.
According to INE data, as a whole the heading referring to restaurants and hotels registered an inter-monthly increase of 1% in the month of March, while the rise rose to 4.4% in the last twelve months, eight tenths higher than the figure registered in February.
Accommodation services have also been responsible for the general CPI for the month of March in Spain being at the highest level in the last 37 years. In March, they grew by 5.5% compared to the previous month, while the annual variation shot up to 17.7%.
On the other hand, the prices of tourist packages have registered a fall of -3.8% in the month of March in the comparison with February, while their interannual variation shows a decrease of 1%.
In the case of national tour packages, these fell -5.4% last March compared to the previous month, despite the rise in the price of accommodation. According to data consulted by Europa Press, the price of international tourist packages also registered a decrease of 3% in said comparison.
With this, so far this year the prices of national tourist packages have registered a 2.9% drop compared to the same period of the previous year, while international prices remained unchanged.
Moderation in air travel
The beginning of the spring season has not caused an increase in the price of flights. Thus, domestic flight fares have grown by a slight 0.6% in the last month in the month-on-month comparison, while international flights have grown by 2%.
With this slight increase, in the last twelve months, the price of domestic flights they have fallen by 0.2%, while the international ones have fallen by 1.1%.