Costa del Sol is among ten best destinations in Spain for family travel

The Costa del Sol is synonymous with sun, sand, culture and leisure, which is often what families look for when planning their trips. Foreigners who choose Spain for family vacations often pick Malaga province. The Costa del Sol is among the top ten family-friendly destinations in the country.

According to a Turespaña report, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, Malaga occupies sixth position, behind the Balearic Islands, Las Palmas, Barcelona, Madrid and Alicante.

The report indicates that the international family segment generated almost 2.7 billion euros in the province. The Costa del Sol attracted nearly two million family tourists with an average expenditure of 1.36 billion euros. According to the report, these visitors stayed in the province for almost eight days, spending an average of 171 euros per day. The study puts the average expenditure per person at 1,327 euros, which is slightly lower than that of other tourists.

The Turespaña report confirms the consolidation of family tourism as one of the pillars of international tourism in Spain. It explains that in 2025, the country received 26.9 million foreign tourists travelling as families, representing 27.8% of all foreign visitors (96.8 million).

Furthermore, it states that in economic terms, this segment generated over 35.67 billion euros in tourism spending, equivalent to 26.5% of the total expenditure by foreign visitors, which amounted to 134.703 billion. "The study shows growth in family tourism since 2016, with particular dynamism following the pandemic.

Between 2023 and 2025, the segment maintained a stable share of around 27%, confirming its consolidation as one of the most important segments both in terms of tourist volume and its economic impact," the report says.

In addition to the province, the city of Malaga ranks as the fifth most popular destination for foreign tourists travelling with their families, behind Barcelona, Madrid, Palma and Adeje. Last year, families visiting the Costa del Sol capital generated an economic impact of 1.19 billion euros, with an average expenditure per person of 1,285 euros and a daily expenditure of 173 euros. A total of 928,000 foreign tourists visited the city with their families and stayed for an average of 7.4 days.

Turespaña highlights that the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Andalucía and Valencia are the top regions for family tourism between 2023 and 2025. In Andalucía, this segment generated an economic impact of nearly 4.5 billion euros (14% of Spain's total) by attracting more than 3.5 million tourists who stayed an average of 7.6 days and spent an average of 168 euros per person per day.

The study says that the main attractions for family tourism are the sun and the beach (39.8%), followed by leisure and cultural activities. Families' favourite activities are enjoying the beach (69.6%) and visiting towns (67.6%), followed by cultural visits (32.2%) and nature activities (30.5%). "The high number of visits to theme parks (13.3%) is also noteworthy, more than double that of other segments, which highlights the importance of family leisure options. Conversely, nightlife and food and wine activities are less prevalent," the study says.

The report warns that this segment exhibits a marked seasonality, concentrating mainly in the summer months and holiday periods such as Easter, in line with school holidays.

The profile of international family tourists shows above-average declared income levels, with a high proportion of qualified professionals, as over 70% hold middle and senior management positions. Regarding accommodation, 66.6% choose hotels. There is also a greater use of package tours (31%), compared to 22% for other international tourists.

Turespaña highlights that "family tourism shows very high levels of satisfaction, even slightly higher than other tourists: 9.12 out of 10 on average, compared to 9.09 for international tourists as a whole". What families value about the Costa del Sol are the environment, sustainability, accommodation and transportation, with statistically significant, though moderate, differences compared to other segments.