Tourism
Costa del Sol hotels set to reach occupancy rate of nearly 90% this August
The Aehcos association of hotel owners has stated that hotel bookings are still 3% below the figures from August 2025
Málaga
Hotels have had a better July than in the record-breaking year of 2025 and are set to repeat this performance in August, although bookings ... are currently 3% below last year's figures.
The Aehcos association of Costa del Sol hotel owners is confident that a surge in last-minute demand will boost the 88.8% occupancy rate.
"The forecasts point to a more moderate trend than last summer, although occupancy levels remain high, as is typical of the high season," Aehcos stated.
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The association predicts that Benalmádena will lead the way in terms of occupancy in August with 95.22%, followed by Torremolinos with 93.64% and Malaga with 90.27%.
Aehcos president José Luque highlights the strength of the destination at the height of the high season. Taking stock of July, he pointed out that not only have the forecasts from a month ago been exceeded, but last summer's figures have also been surpassed.
"We are now confident that this trend will continue throughout August and that demand will enable us to consolidate a strong finish to the summer season," he stated.
Hotel occupancy in the province in July rose to 89.50%, 1.68% higher than in 2025. Furthermore, he pointed out that this figure exceeds Aehcos' forecasts, which had estimated an occupancy rate of 86.37%.
The international market remains the main driver of tourism, accounting for 67.80% of guests staying in hotels, compared with 32.20% of domestic visitors. Despite this, Aehcos has noted stronger demand from Spanish tourists in July and August.
Looking ahead to September, Aehcos forecasts an average occupancy rate of 86.51%, compared with the 91% in September 2025. "Despite this slight slowdown, the forecasts remain high for the start of the mid-season, with the expectation that last-minute bookings will help improve the current estimates," Aehcos stated.