World Travel Market: Andalucía lands in London in bid to tempt a challenging UK market

The World Travel Market (WTM) begins today 5 November with some of the usual faces missing. President of the Junta de Andalucía Juanma Moreno, regional tourism minister Arturo Bernal, president of Malaga's Diputación provincial authority Francisco Salado and Malaga city's mayor Francisco de la Torre all pulled out from attending the event due to the rain alert in Andalucía and the 'Dana' storms that have caused one of the greatest natural tragedies in the history of Spain in Valencia and beyond.

However, despite these absences, the scale of this event can still be felt on the flights connecting the Costa del Sol with London. These flights are loaded with tourism professionals who are aware that Andalusian destinations are at stake in the United Kingdom at a time when that country's economic situation is having a direct impact on the decline in the purchasing power of the British holidaymaker, which sets out some new rules when it comes to travel, according to Turespaña, the public agency that promotes Spain as a brand in the global tourism market.

In this context, in which Spain continues to be the preferred destination of the main international clients for Andalucía, the Costa del Sol and Malaga city, this year's WTM opens its doors marked by the devastating rains in the region of Valencia, even being reported in the British media. This trade fair is one of the world's three major tourism events and the one that will show destinations the market outlook and new trends. It serves as a key thermometer to gauge how the tourism industry is developing in areas such as the Costa del Sol, where British travellers account for 30% of arrivals at Malaga airport and a similar percentage of bookings in tourist accommodation. A vital market for tourism in which Andalusia and the province of Malaga are showing strength with the endorsement of maintaining an unstoppable upward trend.

As president also of Turismo Costa del Sol, Francisco Salado spoke with the press a few days ago, highlighting the good data from the UK market. He stated that from January to August 849,555 British tourists have stayed in the province, which represents an increase of 3.9%. "A figure that means that 78.3% of those who come to the region stay in our province, which accounts for 9% of those who choose Spain." He added that this year they have made the largest investment ever in the set-up for this fair in London. They have allocated more than 1.3 million euros to stage this event, 81% more than last year, that's 600,000 euros more. The aim is for Malaga to feature as a destination, to be visible through advertising displays from the moment you arrive at Gatwick airport, passing through strategic underground and overground stations in London city such as Prince Regent DLR Station and flashing up on the giant screen at London Bridge, as well as on fifteen buses as they move around the city. This publicity campaign also reaches the Excel site itself, where the Costa del Sol presents what it has to offer and will maintain an intense agenda of contacts with tourism professionals, travel operators and airlines in its own larger stand, 240 metres in size, and in another next to Andalucía.

The Andalucía region, which is doubling the number of people in the trade attending, will show off its good results in this market in a larger 580 square-metre stand. Last Tuesday it premiered for the first time outside Spain its new advertising campaign for the region 'Surrender to the Andalusian Crush'. The region's tourism destinations are seeking to attract a British tourist with greater spending power and, to do so, the industry is combining innovation with the essence of the region. Technology is being deployed that will allow the stand to have an electronic register associated with smart bracelets with NFC and QR technology that will monitor the number of attendees, their location, the interactions held and the exchange of virtual business cards.

For the first time in 20 years the Costa del Sol's capital city will be present at the Andalucía stand, which will no longer promote itself with its own stand as it has done for the last two decades. The councillor in charge of tourism at Malaga city council, Jacobo Florido, hopes to grow this market by 10% next year.

Turespaña summarised the situation that the United Kingdom is going through after it entered into recession last year, but remains optimistic about the arrival of visitors from there to Spanish destinations as this winter season opens up for business. However, their spokesperson points out that this year the British economy "is showing a very mild recovery, although it is not compensating for the serious loss of purchasing power over the last few years." This factor is slowing down the positive trend that was in place and it is causing certain changes in the behaviour of British tourists. Among these changes Turespaña expects the following: a reduction in stays, a search for cheaper destinations and a tendency to book travel dates outside high season.

In its latest report on this market Turespaña advises that, despite this situation, in the first half of this year 2024 tourist numbers have been recorded even higher than just before the pandemic, with a slight increase of 0.4% in the first eight months of this year compared to 2019. "Spain continues to stand out as a preferred destination for the British", said their spokesperson.

This 45th edition of the WTM, in which 184 countries are participating via 3,875 exhibitors, 23% and 5.3% more than in 2019 respectively, will also be able to measure the strength of competing markets. Spain, and more specifically Andalucía and Malaga province can gauge the impact of this growing trend among the British as they handle their loss of purchasing power and see if they will still spend their holidays in the country's tourist destinations.

These are just a few of the highlights that tour operators and airlines will be pushing hard as this fair will be the final word on what will happen in the UK travel market this winter and next year.