The Historical Transformation of Hotel Booking in Spain
Hotel booking in Spain is a centuries-old industry that has experienced a radical transformation over time due to the rich culture and the diversity of the landscapes. Early twentieth-century visitors to Spain depended on their personal connections or local hostesses to find accommodations, frequently in small posadas or old paradores, castles and monasteries converted by the government. Booking had to be achieved by handwritten letters or telegrams, which was full of delays and uncertainties, especially when it came to foreign visitors visiting cities such as Toledo or Granada. These hotels served a niche of affluent tourists attracted to the Roman ruins or Gothic cathedrals in Spain, and only elite groups could book these rooms. Mass tourism started in the middle of the 20th century, and it was caused by inexpensive air transport and the marketing of Spain as a Mediterranean resort. Coastal resorts emerged in the 1960s in such cities as Benidorm and Torremolinos, where a flood o...