Malaga aims to woo 'premium' tourists at World Travel Market fair in London
The capital of the Costa del Sol will again have a stand at the UK's leading tourism fair and one of the three major global events for the industry, which runs from 4 - 6 November
Malaga will once again attend the main British tourism fair, which is also one of the three major global events for the industry - the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, from 4 to 6 November. The UK is the main tourist market for the Costa del Sol capital, with a number of British visitors that keeps growing. For this reason, the focus for tourism councillor Jacobo Florido and director of Turismo Costa del Sol Jonathan Gómez at this year's fair is the 'premium' tourist, who has a higher purchasing power to benefit the city's gastronomic and shopping offer.
Florido stated the UK's interest in Malaga, in terms of numbers, is "overwhelming". To give an example, from January to September this year, the city received 137,745 British tourists (an increase of 20.2%), who had booked a total of 329,042 overnight stays (9.9% more), compared to the same period in 2024. According to data from Spain's INE national institute of statistics, British visitors stay in Malaga for an average of 2.39 days.
20.2%
increase in British tourist staying in Malaga's hotels in the first nine months of the year
Having consolidated interest, Malaga is turning its attention to luxury tourism, while maintaining its commitment to those who visit it for its cultural offer. Florido also announced that they will collaborate with content creators, as many people feel the call to visit Malaga thanks to social media. "We are going to have an intense work agenda in which, in addition to meetings with airlines, tour operators and travel agencies, we will establish relationships with these creators who are influencing the arrival of tourists," Florido said.
The Malaga delegation in London, which comprises both city council representatives and companies, has booked more than 30 business meetings. Malaga's stand, which has been installed right next to the Costa del Sol and Andalucía region stands, borrows the design of a 'corralón' - a traditional communal house.
Something that plays to Malaga's advantage is the fact that its airport is connected to 17 cities in the UK. Between January and September, the number of British arrivals has grown by almost 8%, reaching 2.2 million people. Moreover, Malaga Airport's capacity makes it a key facility for the province, the Andalucía region and Spain as whole.
