Costa del Sol capital was second most popular hotel destination in Spain this year
The latest market report from Alianza Hotelera also points to Marbella as the location with the highest average price per room in the country this year
Tourism on the Costa del Sol is consolidating its growth in 2025, a year in which Alianza Hotelera, a group that brings together 16 hotel chains and ranks fifth in the Spanish tourism sector, points to Malaga city as the second most popular hotel destination in Spain this year, with an annual average room occupancy rate of 83.8%. Fuerteventura leads the way with 86.2% of its rooms taken.
In the latest market report compiled by this group using both its own data and verified industry sources, it indicates that hotels in Malaga city will end the year with a hotel occupancy rate seven points above the national average, which will stand at 76.7%, half a point higher than the previous year. The report also highlights Alicante, with an 83.2% occupancy rate, despite experiencing a 0.6% year-on-year decrease, as well as Valencia, with 81.3%, and the Canary Islands as a whole at 81.8%. According to Javier Tausía, president of Alianza Hotelera, these occupancy figures reflect a market that continues to show strength, but also a degree of stabilisation, a levelling out. "We've come from several years of very strong growth. In 2025 we see occupancy consolidating at high levels, but with clear signs of maturity in some destinations", he notes.
Furthermore, this study flags Marbella as the Spanish destination with the highest price per room (ADR, average daily room rate). Specifically, it places the average cost at 381.97 euros, representing an 11.5% increase compared to 2024. The price paid in Marbella's hotels is double the national average rate of 170 euros. Following Marbella is the Balearic Islands at 228.43 euros, a 9% increase, and Barcelona at 193.52 euros, although the Catalan capital has experienced a slight decline of 0.6%.
381
euros is the average hotel room rate in Marbella, double the national average.
The report notes that the largest increases in the ADR were recorded in Zaragoza (up 10%, Mallorca (+ 9.2%) and Granada (+7.3%). Gallardo stresses that price growth is neither uniform nor to be presumed: "the increase in ADR is not solely due to demand, but to a more refined product management, segmentation and each destination's capacity to generate added value".
As for hotel profitability (the RevPar rate), this group predicts that "2025 will close with a general improvement overall, with adjustments in some markets". The average RevPAR in Spain will close 2025 at 130.29 euros, six points higher than the previous year. In this case, Marbella is once again the second most profitable Spanish destination, with a 12.4% increase. Zaragoza is next, with an increase of 13.4%, followed by Benidorm and Tenerife, with increases of 10.1%, and then Granada, approaching 10% growth.
In contrast to these upturns, the report also notes that not all destinations have fared so well. It mentions declines in Valencia (-5.2%), Cordoba (down 2.3%) and Barcelona (-0.9%). Tausía believes these figures demonstrate the need for strategic adjustments in certain markets. "RevPAR is the indicator that best summarises the reality of the business. Where it falls, it is necessary to analyse whether the problem lies in price, occupancy or the value proposition," he explains.
For his part, Fernando Gallardo, secretary-general of Alianza Hotelera, takes stock of the year, stating that "these figures confirm a favourable evolution of the sector, although with significant regional variations. The overall performance is positive, but each destination responds to very different dynamics. That is why it's crucial to analyse the data in detail and avoid simplistic interpretations of the market."
