British energy tourists are heading to Spain to soak up the sun amid higher bills at home, according to hotel operators who reported a spike in numbers reserving stays of three or more weeks.
Like other Mediterranean countries, Spain has been trying to lure Britons and holidaymakers from other northern European countries to spend some of the winter in the warmer climes of the Costas as energy bills soar.
Britons heading to Spain to escape the worst of the winter back in the UK is not a new phenomenon, but Spanish hotel chains have reported long-term bookings have risen higher than in 2019, suggesting they may be linked to the current energy crisis. RIU Hotels & Resorts, which has a string of 18 hotels in the Canary Islands, reported a 5 percent rise in stays of more than three weeks or more.
In the Canary Islands, the number of British tourists reserving holidays is rivaling Germans, who are traditionally the largest group by nationality wintering in the archipelago. The rush to book long stays in the Canary Islands is linked to Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, which has increased the number of flights available by 20 percent this winter compared to 2019.
A seven-night stay in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands leaving on Wednesday was listed at £522 with Jet2. In comparison, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in the financial year 2021, households spent a total of £481.5 per week, including on housing, fuel and power, and food and drink.
Long stays were not limited to the Canary Islands, but many British pensioners and digital nomads were heading to the Costa Blanca, Costa Brava and the Costa del Sol in southern Spain.
Most people in Spain are not putting on their heating yet as summer has stretched into autumn, creating a phenomenon that has been dubbed veroño – a mix of Verano (summer) and otoño (autumn).
Like many other European countries, prices for hotels, restaurants, and food have risen in Spain because of the energy crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Spanish inflation stood at 7.3 percent for October, compared to 8.9 percent the month before.
