Madrid Travel Demand Surges for September Amid Formula 1 and Shakira Events

This September, Madrid is combining sport and music as the Spanish Grand Prix and Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour both attract visitors for a spectacular September calendar. Amadeus Travel Intelligence data as of 14th of August shows a year-on-year air booking growth of 5%, combining domestic and international flights from the 9th of September to 4th of October, which covers both events. 

The same air data shows that short stays are up a predicted 10% year on year, with stays of five days and under now making up 37% of bookings; suggesting opportunities for hotels to offer perks and incentives to encourage longer stays.

In terms of hotel data, Demand360® shows hotel occupancy standing at 48% for the week of the 6th of September to the week of the 27th of September. ADR has increased by 25% on the same period last year to $413. The week of the 13th, when both events overlap, shows the highest occupancy at 52% with an ADR of $411.

Spain on the move as domestic travel rises during Shakira’s visit

As the only Spanish city on Shakira’s tour, Madrid is attracting fans from across the country. Domestic bookings within Spain to the capital for 18th of September to 4th of October, covering the first nine nights of the residency, are up a predicted 35% year on year while international bookings are up by 5%. Barcelona leads domestic inbound bookings to Madrid with growth of 128%, now making up a total of 12% of domestic bookings.

The data also shows that many families and groups are traveling during these dates. Booking forecasts for groups of six or more are up 30%, making up 7% of all bookings for the window.

The international standout is Japan, with bookings to Madrid up a predicted 80% year on year, followed by Canada with a 30% growth and the Netherlands and Mexico at +25%.

Increase in international visits, also fueled by Formula 1

The Spanish Grand Prix is also contributing to increased air travel during the month of September. From the 9th to 13th September when the race is on, top inbound markets which have seen the biggest growth in bookings to Madrid from 2025 are the United Kingdom, up 46% year on year, South Korea, up 45%, France, up 32%, and Uruguay, up 31%.

Argentina remains Madrid’s largest source market at 15% of international bookings perhaps due to fans traveling to support Argentinian racer Franco Colapinto, and Mexico has gained the most ground out of the top origin markets, up 16% to claim an 11% share of inbound traffic.

The air data reveals that medium-length stays of 6 to 13 nights are making up an estimated 39% of bookings around the race week. With a notable number of travelers headed from the Americas, a significant share of visitors appears to be building the Grand Prix into a longer trip, though shorter stays still make up a notable 34% of bookings.

For hoteliers, there is an opportunity to tailor digital campaigns, packages and distribution partnerships to international markets showing high demand, while DMOs can build on momentum with targeted content that encourages visitors to explore more of the city and stay beyond the race.

“Madrid is set for an exciting September, with major events such as the Spanish Grand Prix and Shakira’s world tour expected to be driving additional travel demand. For hoteliers, these moments are an opportunity to think beyond simply filling rooms, from tailoring packages around event dates and extending stays, to anticipating when fans will book and what they’ll want from their stay. The hotels and destinations that tune into these patterns using data could turn the busy event calendar into a real commercial opportunity,” says Javier Campo, Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa, Hospitality, Amadeus.