Sustainable shift in Spanish hotels: fewer emissions and more employment
11 February, 2026The Spanish hotel sector is moving firmly towards a more sustainable growth model. Since 2012, hotels have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by around 40%, according to the report Triple Sustainability Indicators of Spanish Hotels 2025, drawn up by CEHAT and Cajamar. The study confirms that the increase in tourism activity has been decoupled from its environmental impact, in a context of more overnight stays and higher employment.
The environmental improvement shows a structural character. Since 2008, emissions have fallen at an average annual rate of 2.3%, while overnight stays have grown by an average of 1.7%. Since 2022 alone, the reduction has exceeded 7%. 83% of the environmental indicators analysed show a positive trend, with notable progress in energy efficiency and water management, reflected in lower consumption per worker and per stay.
In the social and economic sphere, the report confirms a new all‑time high in hotel employment, surpassing the records of 2024 and with a stable weight of over 2.4% in the national economy. Temporary employment remains clearly below the Spanish average. Added to this are high occupancy levels, hotel prices below the general CPI and a rapid recovery of investment in modernisation, with digitalisation as a key lever of the model.