Costa del Sol has achieved a 78.7 per cent hotel occupancy rate for 2025 as the sector calls for key infrastructure investments

Malaga province is heading into Fitur 2026 (the main international tourism fair in Spain) with a hotel sector report that confirms the destination's stability and a moderate, but sustained, growth.

The region closed 2025 with an average occupancy rate of 78.72 per cent, according to data from the statistical occupancy report prepared by Aehcos (the business association for hoteliers on the Costa del Sol).

This figure represents a slight improvement compared to 2024 (78.14 per cent) and an increase of 3.10 percentage points compared to 2019, consolidating a positive trend that remains above pre-pandemic levels.

The annual analysis conducted by this business association shows that the central months of the year are once again proving to be the main drivers of tourism activity. June (88.14 per cent), July (89.82 per cent), August (92.15 per cent) and September (90.97 percent) have improved upon both 2024 and 2019 figures, a performance that confirms the strength of the holiday trade and the destination's ability to attract demand during the peak summer season.

However, the most significant transformation is occuring in the mid-season (also known as the shoulder season): May (86.06 per cent) and October (88.21 per cent) have registered notable improvements compared to 2019, reinforcing the strategy of diversification and deseasonalisation that has been deployed in recent years.

"The fact that we are generally above pre-2020 levels confirms that the hotel sector has strengthened its competitiveness and its ability to adapt to an increasingly demanding tourism environment," said Aehcos president, José Luque.

In his opinion, 2025 marks a period of "normalisation" characterised by stability, predictability and the possibility of working with a more strategic, medium-term vision. However, he stressed that tourism "remains highly sensitive" to the international political context, which suggests maintaining caution when forecasting.

The Aehcos annual review not only details the progress made in occupancy rates, but also reiterates one of the main concerns for the sector: insufficient investment in essential infrastructure in the Costa del Sol province. The association warns that accumulated delays in strategic projects related to mobility, transport, water management, beaches and tourist facilities are jeopardising the destination's competitiveness in an increasingly demanding environment.

Aehcos is calling for urgent action on projects such as the northern access road to Malaga Airport, awarded in 2018 but then reworked and still pending implementation.

Such infrastructure would improve the flow of incoming and outgoing traffic at one of Spain's most congested airports. Aehcos is also urging an acceleration of the MA-20 expansion, the creation of a continuous third lane on the A-7 between Malaga, Marbella and the Axarquia area, the reorganisation of access points along the coast and the implementation of the coastal train, a project long demanded by institutions and companies in the sector.

Furthermore, the report again highlights the shortage of affordable housing, a problem that, according to Aehcos, directly impacts hotels' ability to attract and retain staff, affecting the operational efficiency of their businesses and the quality of service.

Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport is also a central concern for the hotel sector. The implementation of the European Entry and Exit System (EES) and the effects that ETIAS will have in 2026 are generating uncertainty due to their impact on strategic markets such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Latin America.

Aehcos points out that 27 per cent of tourists staying in the province come from the United Kingdom, a figure that rises to 35 per cent when other affected markets are included. In high season, Malaga Airport experiences peaks of 3,000 to 6,000 British passengers per hour, requiring meticulous and flexible planning of staff at entry controls to avoid prolonged waits that could negatively affect the travel experience.

At Fitur, the presentation of another report on the sustainability indicators for Spanish hotels in 2025, prepared by CEHAT and Grupo Cajamar, provides a complementary perspective on the sector's performance at the national level. The document confirms that Spanish hotels have managed to reduce their emissions by more than 7 per cent since 2022 and by approximately 40 percent since 2012, while simultaneously experiencing growth in activity, employment and profitability.

The study also reveals sustained improvements in energy efficiency and water management, a reduction in seasonality and long-term growth in hotel employment exceeding three per cent. From an economic perspective, occupancy rates and revenue levels maintain a robust trend, with prices below the general CPI (consumer price index), which contributes to strengthening Spain's tourism competitiveness.

In parallel with the presentation of the study, Cajamar announced at Fitur the renewal of its collaboration agreement with CEHAT, reinforcing a long-standing commitment that includes specialised financing, digital solutions and support tools for sustainability and hotel modernisation projects. The financial institution thus maintains its role as a strategic partner for Spanish tourist accommodation.

Grupo Cooperativo Cajamar also formalised a new agreement with Aehcos, through which it makes a specific financial service available to member businesses, designed to boost their competitiveness and investment capacity. The agreement was signed by Jaume Julià and Aehcos president, José Luque, along with executive vice-president, Javier Hernández.