Spain remains a subject of interest object to investors in the hotel market, especially Madrid and Barcelona, according to a report by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels. In addition, it has improved the confidence climate to invest in Europe. The growth in average in hotel room rates in Spain are expected to remain “very limited” this year.

Source: Expansión

The first communication from the European Commission on Tourism, since the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, says, inter alia, the incorporation of Tourism in the policies and financial instruments of the European Union and the creation of a 'Brand Europe' in tourism.

Source: Nexotour

The Internet giant has also bought ITA Software, a provider of travel, for 700 million dollars. Google ITA will use the data to create "new flight search tools, enabling users to compare prices. At the moment Google does not intend to sell tickets directly.

Source: El Mundo

According to the president of Amadeus, David V. Jones, GDS expects to reach 575 million passengers handled via its system in 2013, doubling the 240 that moved in 2009.

Source: Hosteltur

Global reservation system Amadeus is seeing a trend toward "reintermediation" based on the numbers of reservations. In this sense, says the GDS, flight bookings made through travel agents in the first quarter of 2010 exceeded the growth in air traffic (ie: 9.6% vs. 8.6%). This trend was seen mainly in southern and central Europe.

Source: Travel Market