According to the yearbook of the employer's association of Hospitality of Spain, presented in Madrid this Monday, Spain loses bars. And it is that for more than a decade the number of registered bars is decreasing.
With the closing data for the year 2021, Spain has lost 24.470 bars. Although the decline is continuous, it goes without saying that the pandemic has accelerated these closures and many of them were closed at that time. Specifically, during 2021, more than 7.000 bars were closed throughout Spain. In this way we can say that every day in Spain 6,7 bars have been closed during the last ten years.
Many of these bars that have closed had a presence in neighborhoods of many municipalities and very small rural towns. All this also opens a debate on the importance of the bar as an element of socialization in all these areas.
In the words of the president of the Spanish Hospitality Association, José Luis Yzuel, a change of model is taking place in these catering establishments. Thus, the newly opened premises have more square meters than the old ones, "those that open are larger and more versatile," says Yzuel.
Spain loses bars but gains restaurants
Although slightly the number of restaurants increases. After counting closures and openings, a higher number is appreciated and there are already more than 85.000 restaurants throughout Spain. A number that is 10% higher than a decade ago.
Despite everything, the hotel industry in Spain continues to be a very powerful economic engine. It represents more than 4% of the country's GDP with a turnover of 1 million euros and almost 85.000 million people work.
As for consumption, it is recovering after the pandemic and now reaches 804 euros of annual consumption per Spaniard. A figure that is still far from the 1041 euros that each Spaniard spent in 2019.
