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Regulation and free competition: administrative action on tourist apartments
In the context of the latest edition of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Apartur has published a study on the perception and current situation of tourist apartments within business tourism. The findings of the survey conducted by GAD3 reveal overwhelming support for regulatory alternatives rather than the elimination of tourist apartments. Specifically, 84% of respondents consider other possible scenarios before opting for their removal. Among them, 59% favour proportionate regulation, in line with the recommendations of the European Commission, while 25% support coexistence under free competition with the hotel sector. Only 3% back the suppression of this type of accommodation, highlighting an almost unanimous rejection of its disappearance.
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53% consider staying in tourist apartments at future editions of the MWC
More than half (53%) of attendees at the Mobile World Congress consider it very or fairly likely that they would choose this type of accommodation at future editions, reflecting its consolidation as a relevant alternative within the accommodation ecosystem linked to major international events.
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This willingness rises to 82% among those who have already used them
The analysis by profile shows that the intention to use tourist apartments again increases significantly among those with previous experience. Thus, 82% of those who stayed in this type of accommodation during the latest edition of the MWC expect to do so again, while the figure stands at 77% among those who had used them in previous editions. Likewise, among international visitors, the willingness reaches 55%, reinforcing the role of this type of accommodation in global business tourism.
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Value for money as the main reason for choosing accommodation
In comparative terms, tourist apartments offer clear advantages over hotels in key aspects valued by users. They stand out particularly in terms of value for money, where they score 40% compared with 15% for hotels, as well as in space and comfort (15% versus 11%). In fact, value for money emerges as the main reason for choosing this type of accommodation, accounting on its own for 40% of responses.
Technical Details
Universe: Individuals attending the Mobile World Congress who do not have their own accommodation, or accommodation provided by relatives or acquaintances, in Barcelona.
Scope: Fira Gran Via Exhibition Centre.
Quotas: According to attendees’ profiles: sex and age.
Data collection procedure: Face-to-face interviews (CAPI) conducted using electronic tablets at the event entrances.
Sample size: 651 interviews.
Questionnaire: 46 questions developed by AVE and GAD3.
Sampling error: ±3.9% (n=651), for a confidence level of 95.5% (two sigma) and under the most unfavourable assumption of P=Q=0.5, assuming simple random sampling.
Interview duration: Approximately between 5 and 8 minutes.
Fieldwork dates: From 2 to 5 March 2026.
