Tourist apartments increase prices by 6.2%, but sell the same number of nights: the calculation that shows if you are really earning more
Raising the price seems like good news. But if the average stay shortens, every hundred nights may require more bookings, more cleanings, and more turnovers.
The INE has published that in July 2026, overnight stays in tourist apartments in Spain remained practically unchanged year-on-year, while the Tourist Apartment Price Index increased by 6.2%. At the same time, the average stay decreased by 7.3%, down to 4.8 nights.
In July 2026, the occupancy rate was 52.3%. Overnight stays by residents increased by 3.8% and those by non-residents decreased by 2.2%. The IPAP is a statistical index of the market: it does not mean that every property has raised its ADR exactly by 6.2%.
The important question
If the price per night increases but each stay lasts less, the property may need more check-ins and check-outs to sell the same number of nights. And each booking has costs that do not directly depend on the number of nights: cleaning, laundry, amenities, transportation, or check-in.
Gatavia Calculation
We compare 100 nights sold. Hypothetical average price of €100 in 2025; €106.20 in 2026; fixed preparation and cleaning cost of €45 per booking; previous approximate average stay of 5.2 nights and current of 4.8.
| 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Nights sold | 100 | 100 |
| Average stay used | 5.2 | 4.8 |
| Approximate bookings | 19.2 | 20.8 |
| Average price used | €100 | €106.20 |
| Revenue | €10,000 | €10,620 |
| Turnover costs | €864 | €936 |
| Result before other expenses | €9,136 | €9,684 |
In this example, the price increases by 6.2%, but part of that improvement is consumed by a higher number of turnovers. The higher the fixed costs per booking, the greater the effect.
The metric to watch
Margin per occupied night = (net revenue - variable costs - turnover costs) / occupied nights.
Then, compare it with the same period of the previous year. It is not enough to ask how much you sell the night for.
The data does not say that raising prices is a mistake. It says that the market can raise prices without increasing the volume of nights and, at the same time, shorten stays. If your ADR has increased this summer, also check occupancy, average stay, cost per booking, commission, and net margin.
Source
National Institute of Statistics, Survey of Occupancy in Tourist Accommodations, July 2026.
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