Easter 2025 offered a revealing snapshot of the evolving dynamics within Spain’s tourism and hospitality sector. With the holiday period falling later in the calendar and supported by substantial public investment, the national outlook pointed to continued momentum in post-pandemic recovery. While aggregate figures showed increases in international arrivals, tourist spending, and job creation, performance at the city level remained uneven. Cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, and Valencia demonstrated varied results shaped by local events, infrastructure support, weather conditions, and regulatory changes.
National overview: Easter 2025 tourism performance and sector developments
During a conference, the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, presented the Tourism Situation Report, a summary of the sector’s development in recent years that reflected progress in transforming the tourism model.
Based on this report the 2025 Easter was expected to be another record-breaking period for tourism in the country, building on the strong performance seen in the early months of the year. The forecasts indicated that international tourist spending was set to exceed €20 billion during Easter, representing a 13% increase compared to 2024. Additionally, Spain was expected to welcome 15 million international tourists, marking a 9% growth over the previous year. The Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, attributed this success to the public policies implemented in recent years, supported by an investment of €3.4 billion in European funds.
With Easter falling in April in 2025 (three weeks later than in 2024), Jordi Hereu emphasized that the timing would result in higher hotel occupancy and increased spending. This shift in the holiday period reflected the sector’s achievement in recovering fully from the pandemic and shifting towards more qualitative growth, as shown by the rise in destination spending. Furthermore, the tourism employment sector also saw positive results, with nearly 25,000 new jobs added in March, marking a record for the month. This job growth was accompanied by an increase in job stability, with fewer temporary contracts than in previous years.
Barcelona: Volatility and strength amid seasonal shifts
During Easter 2025, Barcelona’s hotel performance showcased notable fluctuations, reflecting both the inherent volatility of the holiday period and the city’s resilience as a major tourist destination. According to MKG Consulting, the city experienced significant RevPAR variations, starting with a drop of -4.05% on April 12, 2025, before rebounding sharply to +24.83% by April 19, 2025. However, the RevPAR once again fell dramatically to -48.75% on April 21, 2025, which is quite normal if we keep in mind that this is one day after the end of the easter.
Moreover on the 18,19 and 20th of April there was a peak of +19.78%, +24,83% and +17, 65%. These fluctuations were also mirrored in the Average Price and occupancy rates, which saw a sharp decline of -34.61% on April 21 the Average Price and -19,02 points the Occupancy Rate. While on the 19th of April 2025 the Average Price had a 11,55% increase and the occupation rate an evolution of 9,96 points.
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Despite these short-term fluctuations, Barcelona’s long-term outlook for hotel performance during Easter remained strong, as indicated by the Barcelona Hotel Association. As it is stated at El Pais, the association noted the positive timing of Easter in mid-April, three weeks later than the previous year, which was expected to boost occupancy rates. Forecasts suggested an occupancy rate of 85%, reaffirming the city’s enduring appeal to both leisure and business travelers
In addition to the general holiday fluctuations, the tourism tax introduced by the Tax Agency of Catalonia likely played a role in shaping Barcelona’s tourism landscape moving forward. Effective from October 1, 2024, the tax introduced a municipal surcharge for hotel stays, which could have an impact on visitor behavior in the medium term. At this point, it needs to be highlighted the fact that despite the introduction of this tax, the tourists continue to come massively in Barcelona.
Madrid: Stable demand with key event-driven peaks
Madrid’s hotel performance during Easter 2025 revealed a mix of positive trends and challenges, influenced by both local events and external factors. According to MKG Consulting, the city initially saw a decline in RevPAR with a dip of -23,29% and -23,32% on April 14 and 15 respectively, before a brief recovery on April 16, reaching +1,08%.
However, the performance dropped dramatically again on April 21, 2025, with RevPAR falling by -41.61%. Similarly, the Occupancy Rate followed this pattern, with a decline of -28.49 points on April 21, signaling difficulties in maintaining high occupancy levels during the later days of the holiday period.
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The Madrid Hotel Business Association’s Occupancy Survey, however, had forecast a solid occupancy rate of 80.55% during Holy Week, a marked improvement over March 2024, where occupancy was around 70%. Notably, the survey highlighted a peak in occupancy on Friday, April 18, and Saturday, April 19, 2025, reaching over 89%.
The presence of major events, such as the Champions League match between Arsenal and Real Madrid n April 16th, was also a significant factor, driving occupancy above 83%. The breakdown of customer origin indicated a strong mix of international and domestic visitors, with the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and France leading the charge.
Despite possible last-minute cancellations, AEHM Executive Vice President Mar de Miguel expressed her satisfaction with the forecast for this Easter, as “it is indicative of the dynamism of Madrid’s tourism sector.” She added: “The diversity of origins of our visitors demonstrates Madrid’s attractiveness thanks to the variety of its offerings. There are very few cities in the world that can boast such a rich offering as Madrid, and this is reflected in the choice of travelers.”
Additionally, the high-speed train operator iryo contributed to the demand by adding extra frequencies between Madrid and Valencia, ensuring smoother travel during the Easter period, which likely contributed to enhanced mobility for both leisure and business travelers.
Seville: Religious festivities, weather disruptions, and infrastructure support
Seville’s hotel performance during Easter 2025 presented a mix of challenges and recovery, influenced by both demand fluctuations and external factors such as weather conditions and transportation options. According to MKG Consulting, the city experienced significant volatility in its hotel performance, with RevPAR showing a decline of -30.4% on April 12, 2025, before recovering to +26.74% on April 17, 2025 and continuing on that rhythm until the end of the Holy week, marking a 21,85% evolution on the 20/04/2025, comparing to the last year.
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Similarly, the Average Price and occupancy rates mirrored these patterns, peaking on April 18, 2025, at +19.7 and +6.16 points increase, respectively, but falling to 4,16% and -13,93 points by April 21 respectively for the Average Price and the Occupancy Rate. This pattern highlights the strong demand driven by Seville’s iconic Holy Week celebrations, but also the challenges of maintaining occupancy after the festivities.
Weather disruptions also played a role in Seville’s Easter performance. As reported by the Associated Press, rainstorms caused the cancellation of some Holy Week processions, which traditionally attract large crowds. These weather conditions likely impacted visitor numbers and, by extension, hotel performance, especially during key celebration days.
In terms of travel infrastructure, Seville benefited from additional transport services. Iryo, Spain’s leading private high-speed operator, responded to the holiday demand by increasing services between Madrid and Seville, with additional trains running from April 28 to May 31, 2025. This increase in transportation options likely facilitated travel to Seville, helping to boost hotel occupancy during the peak Easter period.
Moreover, according to the information from AENA, the group reported that 69,327 flights were scheduled to operate during the holiday period, representing an 11.5% increase compared to Easter 2024, when the holiday fell in March. This rise in flight activity is indicative of the overall increase in travel demand, particularly to popular destinations like Valencia, Seville, and Madrid, where hotel occupancy has been exceptionally high.
Valencia: Coastal demand surges with last-minute bookings
During Easter 2025, Valencia’s hotel performance displayed some fluctuations but also marked a period of strong demand, particularly in its coastal areas. According to MKG Consulting, RevPAR in Valencia began with a small decline of -1.56% on April 12, but experienced a recovery, peaking at +15.82% on April 18. However, it faced another drop of -26.94% on April 21, reflecting the volatility often seen during high-demand periods like Easter.
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Similarly, the Average Price showed consistent moderate growth, with the highest increase occurring on April 17 at +6.35%. Occupancy Rates mirrored this pattern, with a 11,65 points increase on April 13th, following with a -16,64 points fall on the 21/04, likely driven by the challenges of overtourism during such peak periods.
Furhermore, based on the information of HOSBEC, the Hotel and Tourism Business Association of the Valencian Community, hotel occupancy in Spain during Easter 2025 exceeded all forecasts, with the Valencian Community achieving an impressive 85% average occupancy. Benidorm and Gandia led the region with 92% occupancy, while Valencia City stood out with 91%.
This marks a significant improvement from Easter 2024, with the average occupancy increasing by 10 percentage points. In the Alicante Costa Blanca region, the occupancy rate reached 89.1%, while Castellón saw 82%, and the province of Valencia achieved 86%. The average for the second half of April is expected to remain high, with confirmed reservations for Benidorm at 78.2%, Alicante South at 77.1%, and Valencia City at 76.5%.
The surge in demand was largely driven by last-minute bookings and good weather that encouraged many to visit the beaches, with tourists enjoying the first swim of the year. The overall increase in hotel occupancy also correlates with the higher number of domestic medium-haul travelers and peak flight schedules at the three main airports in the region (Valencia, Alicante, and Castellón), leading to one of the best Easter performances in recent years.
Easter 2025 confirmed the resilience of Spain’s tourism industry while highlighting the sector’s increasing complexity. National indicators point to continued growth in international visitor numbers and expenditure, along with improvements in employment. However, the divergent patterns across key urban markets underline the importance of timing, external factors, and local tourism policies.
