EDGE Venues

According to the Tourism Expenditure Survey (Egatur), compiled by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism’s Institute for Tourism Studies, in the first five months of the year the average daily expenditure of foreign tourists in Spain has grown by 11.1%.

International tourists spent a total of 4,804 million euros in the month of May 2012, representing a growth of 7.5%, according to the survey. This was due both to the increase in tourist arrivals, up 5.8%, as well as the increase in the average cost of the trip, up 2%.

The average daily expenditure for the month was 114 euros, an increase of 3.8%, and the average expenditure per tourist, which was 886 euros, registered a year-on-year increase of 1.6%.

The region which most benefited from this increase in spending was the Community of Madrid, up 29.5%.

Madrid Barajas Airport is located 12km (8 miles) northeast of Madrid. The Airport is one of Europe’s busiest airports and is the largest in Spain. The airport serves Madrid, which is a short distance to the southwest. Our Madrid Barajas Airport guide includes information on airport facilities, transportation options, and nearby hotels. A dedicated rail connection linking Madrid Barajas Airport directly to the city centre opened in September 2011.

Madrid Barajas Airport has more than 20 information counters, located throughout the terminals, with a team of more than 100 ‘Skycaps’ also on hand to assist passengers and provide information. Additionally, there are tourist information counters in the arrival areas of Terminals 1 and 2 and the baggage hall of Terminal 4.

A free 24-hour shuttle bus transfers passengers between the terminals and the long-stay car park. The T4 building is linked to its satellite building (T4S) through a monorail. There is also a free shuttle bus which connects T4 with the other terminals (journey time: 10 minutes).

Oozing opulence, the Ritz has been Madrid’s grandest hotel from the moment it opened 100 years ago. Review by Annie Bennett. Published in Telegraph today.

Next door to the Prado and a few minutes’ walk from the Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia museums, this is a great choice for art lovers. The Retiro park and the tapas bars around Plaza Santa Ana are nearby too.

Despite ongoing renovations, the Ritz has managed to hang onto a lot of its original features, so expect classic luxury at every turn. Sumptuous carpets made down the road at the Royal Tapestry Factory ensure that every step you take is in cushioned comfort. There are 167 rooms and suites, and no two are the same. Some have balconies overlooking the square or the hotel’s gardens, others have chandeliers and silk canopies over the bed, and most are furnished with antiques and decorated with original artworks. L’Occitane or Bulgari products add to the “pamper” factor in the bathrooms. Free WiFi. There are 167 rooms and suites, and no two are the same. Some have balconies overlooking the square or the hotel’s gardens, others have chandeliers and silk canopies over the bed, and most are furnished with antiques and decorated with original artworks. L’Occitane or Bulgari products add to the “pamper” factor in the bathrooms. Free WiFi
This is obviously not a budget option, but you do feel you are getting your money’s worth.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts has debuted in Madrid with the opening of the Sheraton Madrid Mirasierra Hotel & Spa. Owned by Comercial Mirasierra Group, the hotel is part of Starwood’s strategic multi-billion expansion plan to open more than 60 Sheraton hotels around the world in the next three years.

Located in the residential area of Mirasierra near the buzzing city center, the Sheraton Madrid Mirasierra Hotel & Spa comprises 180 spacious guest rooms, each featuring the brand’s signature all-white Sheraton Sweet Sleeper® bed, an all-day dining restaurant, lobby bar, terrace lounge and pool bar. The hotel also offers Sheraton Fitness programmed by Core Performance, a spacious spa as well as an indoor and outdoor pool. For business travelers, the hotel features a fully-equipped business center and over 13,000 square feet of meeting space including a ballroom of approximately 9,000 square feet and eight meeting rooms. The hotel also offers Sheraton Club rooms and Lounge and the brand’s signature Link@SheratonSM experienced with Microsoft, a unique communication hub delivering the technology modern guests expect and require while on the road.

Tourist arrivals in May were up 2.5% over May last year, maintaining the upward trend of the previous two months after a dip in the first months of the year. The figures for May show a drop in arrivals from the UK which was outweighed by sharp increases in arrivals from Germany and Italy. The NSO said tourist arrivals in May reached 133,659. Total nights spent by tourists rose by 12.1 per cent, bringing the average length of stay to 7.5 nights.

Holidaymakers comprised the absolute majority of inbound tourists, and registered an increase of 7 per cent. However, a notable decrease was observed among those travelling for business purposes, the NSO said. In line with previous months, 87 per cent of inbound tourists came from EU Member States and in particular from the euro area. Tourists from outside the EU increased over last year, reaching 17,936.

The main market for inbound tourists remained the UK, with a share equivalent to 30 per cent of the total. Second was the Italian market, with a share of 12 per cent. The British market registered a decrease of four per cent, while Germany and Italy experienced increases of 14 and 19 per cent, respectively. During May, inbound tourists spent a total of over one million nights in Malta, up by 12 per cent when compared to 2011. In absolute terms, the majority of guest nights were spent in collective accommodation establishments and in particular in hotel accommodation. Nonetheless, a substantial increase of 30 per cent in the use of private accommodation was recorded.

Despite increased and stringent requirements for achieving a Danish Green Key certification, a record breaking 64% of all hotel rooms in Copenhagen are now eco-certified. And the green hotel boom continues.

Copenhagen is a recognised pioneer when it comes to sustainable meetings, a status which is underlined by the fact that 64% of the city’s hotel rooms now hold official eco-certificates.