For many, the low season means a decrease in activity and therefore a decrease in bookings and income. However, here in Barcelona, this is not necessarily true.  Indeed, even if we can observe a slight decrease in activity, the low season remains very active compared to other cities. Moreover, if you manage it well, you can reduce a lot the difference between high and low season.

The trend of tourism in Barcelona during the low season

Deseasonalisation

Barcelona is a city which attracts visitors all year round. Moreover, tourism during low season grows three times more than in high season which tends to reduce the bad impact of low season on tourism.

Indeed, Barcelona is a city which offers a lot of activities in both high and low season.  In addition to the beach which attracts visitors during the high season, the architecture, football or even gastronomy enable Barcelona to increase the influx of tourists during the low season and enhance the deseasonalisation.

Market diversification increases tourism in low season

We can observe the diversification of markets. Even though the traditional and mature markets for Catalonia, mainly Europe, are consolidating, other more distant and emerging markets are growing strongly. Especially, the tourists from Asia and  Latin America are growing. People from these parts of the world have different periods of holidays than European countries, which ensures tourists all year round in Catalonia and especially in Barcelona.

How to take advantage of the low season

While the number of low season tourists is increasing, there are still fewer tourists than during the high season. It is, therefore, necessary to be sure to take advantage of this opportunity and to manage it properly to avoid having a big difference in your income depending on the seasons.

Smarter minimum stay

In addition to applying minimum stays on your booking calendar, it may be a good idea to change the prices. It will enable you to increase your occupancy rate and if you manage it well, you can be surprised that your rate of occupancy can reach 100% or almost it. 

To minimise the impact of the low season, the minimum stays should not be the same in the week and during the weekend, just like it should be changed depending on the period of the year as well. For example, longer minimum stays during periods should be used during the best performing months, and shorter stays should be imposed during low season. Moreover, modifying them after every new booking can enable you to sell 100% of your occupancy, by making longer stay more attractive for the guests.

Good listings and nice apartments

Offer nice apartments with beautiful decoration and announcements of quality will attract guests. However, the key is to differentiate your company from the others and make tourists want to book with you rather than with your competitors. Thereby, the low season will not have too much impact on your occupancy rate and the achievement of your objectives. The difference between low and high season should be considerably reduced.

In the future, this trend of deseasonalization in the tourism industry in Barcelona and the diversification of the markets are likely to grow and develop. So, if you manage your pricing and your listings well, the low season should, at least, not have a bad effect on your business.

To learn more about the factors that influence demand in Barcelona, download our PDF here.

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