El Calafate Hotel Occupancy: Historical by Category (2018–2025)
Last updated: 24 de febrero de 2026✓Verified Data
10.921hotel bedsRecord Feb 2025
91,50%average occupancyRecord Feb 2022
-32 ppApart Hotel drop Feb 2025Largest variation
72,50%occupancy July 2023Low season record
Source: Secretaría de Turismo de la Municipalidad de El Calafate
Hotel Supply: Growth of Beds
El Calafate's hotel supply has grown consistently over the last decade. The municipality recognizes 9 categories of accommodation:
- 4 and 5-star Hotels
- 3-star Hotels
- 2 and 1-star Hotels
- 3-star Inns
- 2 and 1-star Inns
- Cabins
- Apart Hotel
- Hostels / Albergues
- Tourist Hotel A and B
Evolution of Available Beds (Season Peak)
| Year | Beds (peak) | Variation |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | ~7.833 | — |
| 2015-16 | ~7.886 | +0,7% |
| 2018-19 | ~7.780 | stable |
| 2022 | 9.027 (December) | — |
| 2023 | 9.924 (December) | +10% |
| 2024 | 10.515 (December) | +5,9% |
| 2025 | 10.921 (February) | record |
Available Beds by Month (2022–2025)
| Month | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Growth 22-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.834 | 9.239 | 10.187 | 10.701 | +36,6% |
| February | 7.945 | 9.419 | 10.318 | 10.921 | +37,5% |
| June | 4.011 | 5.310 | 5.599 | 6.375 | +58,9% |
| December | 9.027 | 9.924 | 10.515 | 10.664 | +18,1% |
In 3 years (2022–2025), hotel beds in El Calafate grew by 37% in high season and up to 59% in low season.
High Season: January and February
January: The Most Competitive Month
January — 2024 vs 2025 comparison
| Categoría | January 2024 | January 2025 | Variación |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5-star Hotels | 93.28% | 84.18% | -9.10 pp |
| 3-star Hotels | 84.15% | 81.81% | -2.34 pp |
| 2 and 1-star Hotels | 90.43% | 67.14% | -23.29 pp |
| 3-star Inns | 87.57% | 81.88% | -5.69 pp |
| 2 and 1-star Inns | 72.55% | 69.80% | -2.75 pp |
| Cabins | 83.04% | 70.44% | -12.60 pp |
| Apart Hotel | 90.92% | 68.17% | -22.75 pp |
| Hostels / Albergues | 81.96% | 74.57% | -7.39 pp |
| Tourist Hotel A and B | 79.17% | 65.59% | -13.58 pp |
| Overall Average | 84.79% | 73.67% | -11.12 pp |
February: The Historical Record
| Category | Feb 2020 | Feb 2022 | Feb 2024 | Feb 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5-star Hotels | — | — | 94,27% | 82,03% |
| 3-star Hotels | 92,37% | — | 83,62% | 76,11% |
| 2 and 1-star Hotels | 87,37% | — | 75,12% | 62,85% |
| 3-star Inns | 85,01% | — | 86,16% | 78,77% |
| 2 and 1-star Inns | 80,65% | — | 70,70% | 61,98% |
| Cabins | 80,53% | — | 77,70% | 61,88% |
| Apart Hotel | 91,76% | — | 88,46% | 56,13% |
| Hostels / Albergues | 86,46% | — | 73,21% | 54,55% |
| Tourist Hotel A and B | 77,44% | — | 74,98% | 61,10% |
| Average | 86,86% | 91,50% | 80,47% | 66,15% |
February 2022 recorded the highest average in history: 91.50%. It was the first post-pandemic summer with lifted restrictions and two years of pent-up demand.
February — 2024 vs 2025 comparison
| Categoría | February 2024 | February 2025 | Variación |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5-star Hotels | 94.27% | 82.03% | -12.24 pp |
| 3-star Hotels | 83.62% | 76.11% | -7.51 pp |
| 2 and 1-star Hotels | 75.12% | 62.85% | -12.27 pp |
| 3-star Inns | 86.16% | 78.77% | -7.39 pp |
| 2 and 1-star Inns | 70.70% | 61.98% | -8.72 pp |
| Cabins | 77.70% | 61.88% | -15.82 pp |
| Apart Hotel | 88.46% | 56.13% | -32.33 pp |
| Hostels / Albergues | 73.21% | 54.55% | -18.66 pp |
| Tourist Hotel A and B | 74.98% | 61.10% | -13.88 pp |
| Overall Average | 80.47% | 66.15% | -14.32 pp |
Mid Season: October and November
October: Pre-Season Recovery Month
| Category | Oct 2022 | Oct 2023 | Oct 2024 | Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5-star Hotels | 76,73% | 89,70% | 78,27% | 75,79% |
| 3-star Hotels | 73,68% | 79,21% | 68,10% | 58,19% |
| 2 and 1-star Hotels | 58,95% | 66,91% | 44,50% | 51,53% |
| 3-star Inns | 62,07% | 77,68% | 53,24% | 63,60% |
| 2 and 1-star Inns | 58,37% | 64,76% | 57,80% | 32,36% |
| Cabins | 58,10% | 62,04% | 42,45% | 38,07% |
| Apart Hotel | 73,07% | 68,31% | 52,26% | 36,09% |
| Hostels / Albergues | 53,37% | 57,33% | 45,20% | 24,41% |
| Tourist Hotel A and B | 49,51% | 33,59% | 19,41% | 26,28% |
| Average | 62,65% | 66,62% | 53,01% | 43,69% |
In October 2023, 4-5 star hotels reached 89.70% occupancy, comparable to high season in other months.
November: Early High Season
| Category | Nov 2021 | Nov 2022 | Nov 2023 | Nov 2024 | Nov 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5-star Hotels | 75,58% | 80,31% | 91,51% | 85,47% | 85,83% |
| 3-star Hotels | 63,45% | 85,10% | 85,14% | 80,88% | 76,35% |
| 2 and 1-star Hotels | 46,88% | 54,10% | 80,02% | 62,79% | 68,37% |
| 3-star Inns | 51,91% | 73,58% | 79,86% | 74,85% | 78,79% |
| 2 and 1-star Inns | 51,64% | 62,42% | 60,70% | 67,53% | 63,01% |
| Cabins | 41,00% | 64,97% | 69,51% | 54,71% | 51,97% |
| Apart Hotel | 57,83% | 80,28% | 79,63% | 54,96% | 51,83% |
| Hostels / Albergues | 44,91% | 51,22% | 71,30% | 75,46% | 51,90% |
| Tourist Hotel A and B | 48,62% | 50,49% | 52,53% | 43,89% | 60,21% |
| Average | 53,75% | 66,73% | 74,47% | 64,10% | 68,05% |
November 2023 was the November month with the highest historical occupancy: 74.47%. 4-5 star hotels exceeded 91%.
Low Season: July and June
July: The Lowest Month of the Year
| Category | Jul 2021 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2023 | Jul 2024 | Jul 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5-star Hotels | 46,78% | 62,70% | 77,09% | 58,37% | 55,66% |
| 3-star Hotels | 31,15% | 58,29% | 74,68% | 49,80% | 33,77% |
| 2 and 1-star Hotels | 33,33% | 56,52% | 74,18% | 19,37% | — |
| 3-star Inns | 15,60% | 33,50% | 80,67% | 52,77% | 52,78% |
| 2 and 1-star Inns | 24,27% | 46,99% | 74,60% | 43,88% | 33,87% |
| Cabins | 33,78% | 39,12% | 57,97% | 28,43% | 22,31% |
| Apart Hotel | 25,84% | 51,90% | 65,24% | 23,80% | 34,11% |
| Hostels / Albergues | 23,05% | 30,18% | 73,86% | 24,40% | 24,14% |
| Tourist Hotel A and B | 22,69% | 27,84% | 74,19% | 7,80% | 14,07% |
| Average | 28,50% | 45,23% | 72,50% | 38,07% | 30,10% |
Exceptional Data: July 2023 recorded 72.50% occupancy — the highest value in low season in documented history. All categories exceeded 57%.
June: The Toughest Month
| Category | Jun 2021 | Jun 2022 | Jun 2023 | Jun 2024 | Jun 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5-star Hotels | 49,85% | 71,66% | 79,20% | 64,79% | 48,80% |
| 3-star Hotels | 29,21% | 69,41% | 68,48% | 43,45% | 37,10% |
| 2 and 1-star Hotels | 0,00% | 64,97% | 72,24% | 42,78% | 25,08% |
| 3-star Inns | 2,17% | 49,20% | 65,58% | 44,50% | 39,14% |
| 2 and 1-star Inns | 19,54% | 41,84% | 49,64% | 28,89% | 21,68% |
| Cabins | 11,36% | 36,37% | 30,61% | 26,37% | 16,99% |
| Apart Hotel | 12,50% | 41,41% | 47,65% | 29,61% | 24,39% |
| Hostels / Albergues | 16,44% | 43,36% | 38,91% | 25,76% | 6,38% |
| Tourist Hotel A and B | 1,56% | 22,28% | 21,89% | 13,78% | 9,32% |
| Average | 29,71% | 48,95% | 52,69% | 34,75% | 27,03% |
In June 2021, with active COVID restrictions, 2-1 star hotels had 0% occupancy and Tourist Hotel A and B barely reached 1.56%.
Analysis by Hotel Segment
Advantages
- 4-5 star Hotels: the most resilient segment (77-94% in high, 46-65% in low season)
- Hostels: unique seasonal profile — surpass higher categories in some low season months (Nov 2024: 75.46%)
- 3-star Inns: solid post-COVID recovery, good performance in pre-season
- 3-star Hotels: consistent performance, moderate variations
Disadvantages
- Apart Hotels: most volatile segment (-32.33 pp in Feb 2025), high exposure to demand changes
- Tourist Hotel A and B: largest sustained drop (7.80% in July 2024), possible sign of product obsolescence
- 2-1 star Hotels: pronounced drops in 2025 (-23.29 pp in January vs 2024)
- Cabins: increasing variability, very exposed to season
4 and 5-star Hotels — The Most Resilient Segment
High-category hotels maintain the highest occupancy even in low season:
- Minimum recorded (COVID): 46.78% in July 2021
- Maximum recorded: 93.28% in January 2024
- Typical high season range: 77-94%
- Typical low season range: 46-65%
Apart Hotels — The Most Volatile Segment
Apart Hotels show the greatest market variability:
- Absolute maximum: 91.76% in February 2020
- Post-COVID maximum: 90.92% in January 2024
- Most pronounced drop: -32.33 pp in February 2025 vs 2024 (from 88.46% to 56.13%)
- COVID minimum: 12.50% in June 2021
Hostels / Albergues — Unique Seasonal Profile
Hostels have a differentiated behavior: in some low season months, they surpass higher categories in occupancy:
- November 2024: 75.46% — surpassed Apart Hotels (54.96%) and Cabins (54.71%)
- This pattern suggests a segment of young or backpacker travelers with greater temporal flexibility
Tourist Hotel A and B — The Most Affected Segment in 2024–2025
This category shows the largest sustained drop:
- July 2024: 7.80% (historical low in post-COVID low season)
- October 2024: 19.41% (vs 53.01% average occupancy of the destination that month)
- Possible indicator of category obsolescence or lack of product update
Local Tip
For budget travelers: Data shows that hostels maintain high occupancy in November (75.46% in 2024), indicating that this category fills up as quickly as hotels. Booking in advance applies to all categories in pre-season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about hotel occupancy in El Calafate
Resolvemos las dudas más comunes.
The historical peak was February 2022, with 91.50% average occupancy. It was the first post-pandemic summer with lifted restrictions and two years of pent-up demand. In February 2020, before COVID, 86.86% was recorded.
El Calafate reached 10,921 available beds in February 2025, a historical maximum. In January 2025, there were 10,701 beds. In 2022, the supply was 7,834-7,945 beds depending on the month.
4 and 5-star hotels are the most resilient segment, with occupancy ranging between 77-94% in high season and 46-65% in low season. In January 2024, they reached 93.28%.
July is the lowest month of the year, with a historical average of 28-45%. The exception was July 2023, with 72.50%, the highest value recorded in low season, with all categories exceeding 57%.
Apart Hotels are the most volatile segment: they reached 91.76% in February 2020 and 90.92% in January 2024, but in February 2025, they dropped to 56.13%, a decrease of 32.33 percentage points.
November is already an early high season: the record was November 2023, with 74.47% average occupancy. 4-5 star hotels reached 91.51% that month.
