Malaga's rural holiday homes expected to be almost fully booked over upcoming bank holiday weekend

According to Spain's leading rural tourism platform, Ruralidays.com, travel plans in smaller municipalities and close to nature will be the preferred option this autumn.

Malaga province's rural holiday homes, for example, will be almost fully booked during the upcoming October bank holiday weekend (including Monday, 12 October).

Malaga will be the Andalusian province with the highest occupancy rate, at 84.2%, followed by Granada (82%), Cordoba (81%) and Jaén (79.3%). Behind these are Cadiz (75%), Almeria (71%), Seville (68.3%) and Huelva (62.7%). The average for Andalucía will be 80.7%.

Many Spaniards will enjoy a long holiday, from Friday, 9 October, until Monday, which is the National Day of Spain.

The average price at this time of year is 39.96 euros per person per night, around 6% more compared with the same period last year, according to Ruralidays' booking figures.

Despite it being a long holiday period in Spain, Spaniards will not comprise the biggest group of visitors.

According to statistics from Ruralidays, the largest number of guests staying in rural holiday homes come from Germany, accounting for over 29%, followed by Spain, with 20.6%, the Netherlands (17.2%), the UK (9.4%) and Denmark (5.8%).

The Spanish have seen the sharpest rise in the number of accommodation bookings for this period, with a 38% increase compared with the same holiday period last year.

The high occupancy rate is due not only to the favourable timing but also to a number of other factors, as Félix Zea, co-founder of Ruralidays, explains. "School holidays are currently taking place in several northern European countries, which cements October as one of the favourite months for rural tourism."

"Foreign visitors come at this time of year because October is the shoulder season, with more affordable prices and a milder climate than in summer," Zea says.

The main reasons for foreign visitors' trips are rest (80%), the climate (57.8%), visiting cities (37.3%), culture and traditions (27.7%) and the chance to go to the beach (22%).

At this time of year, foreign visitors mainly travel as couples (40.6%), while 30% travel with their families and children. Then come groups of friends (15%) and groups comprising several families travelling together (10.6%). The average group size among foreign guests is almost five people per booking at this time of year.

As for domestic guests, Félix Zea points out that, alongside relaxation, the main motivations include the opportunity to go hiking and enjoy walks in the countryside. The average group size for Spanish guests is more than eight people per booking, as travel at this time of year is mainly family-based.

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