Tourism

Malaga experiences boom in rural tourism thanks to high occupancy rates in August

Ruralidays reports that towns and villages in the Axarquía and Antequera areas see their populations multiply as accommodation facilities approach full capacity

The swimming pool of a holiday cottage in Malaga province. (SUR)

Málaga

25/08/2026 a las 11:25h.

Small villages in the province of Malaga have seen their population multiply thanks to the surge in domestic tourism this August.

Holiday rental platform Ruralidays. ... com has released a report highlighting that rural holiday homes are becoming a key factor in the economy of small villages with fewer than 3,000 inhabitants, thanks to an occupancy rate of nearly 100% in August.

Villanueva de la Concepción, in the Antequera area, has experienced the fastest population growth due to the influx of visitors. "With an official population of 3,296, according to the INE national institute of statistics, this municipality has achieved a 96% occupancy rate at its rural holiday homes," Ruralidays highlights.

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The Axarquía has the highest number of small municipalities boasting high occupancy rates for rural tourism, such as Almáchar, with 1,959 residents and an occupancy rate of 95%; Arenas, with 1,291 residents, at 94%; Sayalonga, with 1,672 residents, at 93%; El Borge, with 958 residents, at 93%; and Frigiliana, with 3,383 residents, at 92%.

Among the main benefits of rural tourism, co-founder of Ruralidays Félix Zea highlights its role in boosting local trade and employment, as well as in driving the renovation of disused homes in depopulated areas of Spain.

"Rural tourism does not compete with sun-and-beach tourism, but rather complements it. When a village in the interior fills its rural holiday homes, it's not just the owner who benefits: there are jobs for those carrying out renovations, those who clean, those who act as guides and those who maintain the swimming pool and garden. This is income from tourism that stays in the village," Zea states.

Many of these properties were abandoned ten years ago. "Today they are houses with swimming pools and tourist licences, refurbished by their owners thanks to increased demand. This is one of the few real ways to retain the population and economic activity in depopulated Spain," he states.

According to the report, in recent years, there has been a trend towards the regeneration of abandoned and disused properties, which prevents their deterioration and revitalises the housing stock in local authorities. Surveys among visitors and property owners confirm that other economic sectors benefit directly, such as local retail and the hospitality industry: bars, bakeries and corner shops see their turnover multiply during the summer months.

Zea predicts that the boom in rural tourism will endure over time. "This isn't just a summer fad. We have long observed that visitors are seeking something other than just lounging on a sun lounger, such as contact with nature, tranquillity and the authenticity of the villages. The figures for this August confirm this trend, which no longer depends on a more or less sporadic seasonal peak," he concludes.

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