Experts give reasons for the downturn in Spanish tourists staying in Malaga province

Despite another record year for visitors, people living in Spain are overlooking the Costa del Sol and wider area as their next destination and choosing to holiday elsewhere

Pilar Martínez

Malaga

Friday, 10 January 2025, 12:46

Despite another record year for visitors, people living in Spain are overlooking the Costa del Sol and Malaga province as their next destination and choosing to holiday elsewhere. In the peak months of last year alone, between June and August, the loss of Spanish tourists exceeded 905,000 overnight stays. It was the first drop in the national market in five years.

Experts have said the drop was down to three main reasons: a fall in the spending power of families; the increase in accommodation prices; and the impact of rising temperatures along the Costa del Sol.

Costa del Sol hotels association Aehcos vice-president Javier Hernández said the main reason was the economic situation driven by inflation in recent years plus interest rates pushing up mortgages.

Meanwhile, accommodation prices have increased. Data shows the average hotel price locally is 40 per cent more than in 2019.

Hernández said Spanish people are opting for more affordable destinations both within Spain and abroad.

"The decline began in July and went even further in August [last year], to which we can add the fact that Easter was very bad for tourism, (although good for the province because rain dominated at a time when the drought was a cause for concern), he said.

Hernández also blamed a slowdown in Spanish tourists on the soaring summer temperatures.

Rural tourism was the sector most affected by this slowdown. Felix Zea, chief executive of the largest rural tourism platform in Andalucía, the Malaga-based Ruralidays, said that the slowdown of Spanish tourists was due to the effect of inflation and the rise of international tourists. He also added that the drought and uncertainty about opening swimming pools in summer had also contributed to the drop off.

Last year there have been periods in which national tourism has reduced its share to 25%, when it is usually between 35 and 40%, the vice-president of Aehcos said, before adding that more promotion of the Costa del Sol is needed across the country to win back the Spanish market.

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