Small accommodations increase their price almost twice the average for the sector

The data from the Local Booking Insights report from Little Hotelier, the reservation management platform, confirms the increase in room prices in Spain in the last four years and shows that this growth is even more significant in small accommodations. Mainly, this increase is due to the interest of travelers in booking this type of accommodation, in addition to inflation. Specifically, comparing 2019 with the last
per year, rooms in this type of establishment (between 1 and 20 rooms) are 22% more expensive, while the average increase in Spain is 12%. Little Hotelier registers a rise in prices after the pandemic, which coincides with the growing popularity of these accommodation options among Spaniards, whether they are rural houses, boutique hotels or campsites, among others. According to the Changing Traveler Report, 4% more Spaniards planned to stay in vacation rentals during 2022, compared to the previous year, and a slightly higher number opted for boutique hotels or campsites.

The seasonal price gap (the difference between the months with the highest and lowest prices) is also increasing. In 2019, the seasonal gap was 63% between the months of January and July (the month with the lowest and highest rates, respectively). In 2022, this difference was 97% between August, the most expensive month to book, and January, when prices were lowest.

“The cost of staying in Spain has increased considerably in the last four years. And the rise in rates has been notably higher in small accommodations. This fact, added to the growing seasonal gap and changes in booking patterns, demonstrates the need for small accommodation owners to use technology. Tools such as Little Hotelier's help to set the prices of their rooms in an intelligent way and based on data in real time”, explains Sara Padrosa, director for Spain of Little
Hotelier.

The study also lists the reservation channels that have generated the most revenue for small accommodations in the last year. The ranking shows that the way in which travelers make their reservations varies depending on the size of the property. Thus, and compared to the reservation channels that encompass
all hotel establishments, those that stand out for small accommodations are Airbnb, the Spanish Bookerclub, Fincahotels.com, aimed at Germans, and Mr and Mrs Smith, a specific channel for boutique hotels .

On the other hand, and compared to 2019, direct bookings conquer the second position, previously occupied by the giant Expedia.