The Costa Daurada and Terres de l'Ebre have recorded tourism occupancy rates between 85% and 95% during the summer months, culminating in a peak of 95% in August. Xavier Guardià, spokesperson for the Tarragona Federation of Hospitality and Tourism (FEHT), described the season as comparable to the previous two years, with a sluggish start in July but a robust performance in August.

Most overnight stays came from domestic Spanish tourists, followed by French and British visitors. While the French market saw a slight decline, demand from within Spain rose marginally. British and Irish tourist numbers remained high, consistent with recent trends, though German arrivals dipped slightly. Dutch, Belgian, and Swiss markets held steady, while Portuguese and Polish tourists are emerging as growing segments.

Shorter Stays, Broader Season

Average stays shortened to three or four days, driven by changing habits. Guardià noted that extended summer holidays of several weeks are no longer common. Instead, tourists prefer shorter trips, spending their available budget over fewer days or splitting holidays into multiple getaways.

"L'antic estiueig de dos o tres mesos ja no existeix", ha remarcat.

Guardià added that efforts to extend the tourism season are showing results, with higher occupancy now seen in March, April, May, June, September, and October. This shift may slightly reduce peak pressure in July and August but reflects a healthier, more balanced annual distribution.

Ebro Rural Homes See Boost

Rural accommodations in the Terres de l'Ebre reported around 80% occupancy in August, up from about 30% in July, mostly concentrated on weekends. Juanjo Bel, president of Aturebre, said this August was "slightly better than last year", with the first fortnight particularly strong due to the solar eclipse on 12 August.

The eclipse attracted international visitors who typically do not book rural stays. Bel highlighted last-minute bookings and rapid re-letting of cancellations during the event week as signs of high demand: "La setmana de l'eclipsi vam tenir diverses anul·lacions que es van ocupar el mateix dia, va ser una bogeria."

Despite the boost, Bel noted that reservations for the Diada bridge in September currently appear weak. Looking ahead, FEHT anticipates 70–75% occupancy across the region in September and October.

Primary sources: idescat.cat. Reported by reusdigital.cat, Ràdio Ciutat de Tarragona, ACN, diaridetarragona.com, DiariTots21, revistacambrils.cat, diarimes.com, magazineexperience.com, laciutat.cat, elvallenc-v1.srv-n2-01.tirabol.cat, rtve.es.