The tourism sector is experiencing a year of contrasts this year. Although the number of foreign visitors has decreased to a minimum, rural areas are still on track, with an occupation of about 84 per cent in July. However, the reality of Pamplona is different, as only one in four hotel places has been occupied. As a result, in July the number of employees in this sector was reduced by 2,505.

These data have been collected by the Tourism Observatory of Navarra, in collaboration with industry associations and the Mabrian platform, among them a study that monitors the holiday rental places with Big Data.

Contrast

Baztan and the Ribera have been the areas prioritized by tourists, with an occupation of 95% and 90%, respectively. In the Sakana, in Aralar and Irati, hotels have been set at 80%, while in Roncal they have remained at 70%. These percentages are far from 40% in Pamplona, especially considering that the hotel occupancy of the Navarre capital in July last year was 72% throughout the month. After the significant decrease, there are the suspension of the San Fermin festivities and the health recommendations of the governments of other countries to avoid going to the Spanish State. Regarding the rental of the holiday apartments, the occupation was 44%, six more points than in June.

On the other hand, according to data provided by the Pamplona Hotel Association, the number of cancellations in the centre of Pamplona is 25.5% in the last week of July and 50% in the entire Region.

Reservations

As for holiday rentals, bookings have been increasing on a daily basis, except in the week from 15 to 23 August, where an average of 30 places per day have been cancelled, which represents 1 per cent of places. However, despite the fact that they have been cancelled by September and October, new reservations are planned for Christmas. "Summer is good at campsites and rural accommodations," said Nacho Calvo, a member of the Navarre Hospitality Association, before this data is known on Thursday morning. The sector as a whole is experiencing “very difficult times” which are reflected in turnover and employment volumes, with steady growth over the past six years.

Impact on workers

Without taking into account workers who continue to be covered in the Ere, over 2,500 hospitality workers, almost 14%, have been dismissed in the past 12 months. Since the collapse of March and April, it has hardly recovered activity, despite a slight increase in recruitment in July.

Review by Aierdi

According to Navarra’s Economic Development Advisor, Manu Aierdi, in August “it seems that this picture will be maintained.” In his assessment of these months, he stressed that the most reduced are the "foreign tourists". Taking as reference the consultations in the tourist offices and without qualifying the visits from Spain to the Basque Country as international, he warned that 89% of the consultations were from the population of the Spanish State, while 11% were from “foreigners”, most of them French – as foreigners the tourists from Iparralde –.

On the other hand, given the recommendations of the governments of several European countries not to go to Hego Euskal Herria, Aierdi says: “They are not positive or fair messages.” The Councillor for Economic Development and Competitiveness of the Basque Government perceives the greatest damage in the "no Sanfermines": “There is a clear picture of the damage caused by the absence of foreigners.”