Costa del Sol faces challenge of matching last summer's tourism statistics following slower start to 2025
Industry representatives in Malaga province believe it will be a season of last-minute holiday bookings and these are the reasons why...
Despite a great week for tourism during the Easter holidays, the weak start of the year is even more noticeable when we compare numbers to the strong growth in visitors and overnight stays in Malaga province in 2024. Data from Turismo Costa del Sol shows a 4.3% drop in overnight stays in all types of accommodation in the months leading up to May, which includes the Holy Week.
Domestic tourism continues to drop faster than international tourism - 13% compared to 1.8%. Uncertainty marks the high summer season and tourism experts say that bookings and sales are growing at a slower rate this year. According to the tourism board, this summer will be a season of last-minute bookings.
Vice-president of the association of hotel business owners of the Costa del Sol (Aehcos), Javier Hernández, stated that it will still be a good achievement if last year's record figures are simply reached, not surpassed. However, he does confirm that there is uncertainty.
Along the same lines, the director and partner of the Peñarroya group and general manager of Holiday World (the largest hotel complex on the Costa del Sol), Mari Francis Peñarroya, said that there is a good forecast for summer sales, although last-minute bookings are not growing as fast as expected. In addition, she said that "pre-season sales in May and early June are slower" compared to last year. Meanwhile, the anticipated increase in prices has not been absorbed so well by international markets. Most of the rates have been maintained and any possible price increases are taking place at a slower rate.
Peñarroya remains optimistic and believes that "the summer is going well".
3,000,000
overnight stays were recorded in hotels, flats, rural houses and campsites in the province in June last year, to which must be added those in tourist dwellings not considered by Spain's INE national institute of statistics
Director of the AC Marriott Málaga Palacio, Jorge González, believes that "the summer will be similar to that of 2024". "The forecasts for July are currently at 60% and at 50% for August. We have not increased rates during these months," he explained.
At the same time, the director of the five-star Only You Málaga, Pedro Echevarría, said that, at his establishment, "so far, every month is performing better than last year, with a good April and a much better May". In fact, he points out that last month "will possibly be the best month of the year, together with October". He also foresees a better June, with prices increased by 7%. The hotel's main clientele is of British, Spanish and American origin.
Holiday rentals also encourage an optimistic outlook. Data from the Andalusian tourist housing association (AVVA-Pro) indicate positive booking rates for July and August 2025, with a 7.4% price increase, from 160 to 171 euros per night. At the same time, occupancy has grown by 24.6%. President of AVVA-Pro Juan Cubo confirms "the good state of tourism in the province of Malaga" despite last-minute bookings and reduced length of stay. According to him, "the destination is still experiencing strong demand", demonstrating "a clear recovery".
Accommodation prices are contained and those that are rising are doing so at a slower rate compared to last year
However, the president of the association of travel agencies of the Costa del Sol, Sergio García, warns that "May began with more strength, but ended more slowly, while June is sluggish". Contrary to what other professionals have said, he confirms the state of uncertainty, marked by the turmoil "at national and global level". For him, the increase in prices, although good for the establishments that get booked despite it, is the reason why people cannot find cheap flights. "Travelling this summer is more expensive," he said.
Whether on the coast or in the interior of the province, the slowdown is noticeable, as confirmed by the co-founder of the B Bou chain, María Herrero.
Nonetheless, the Costa del Sol is prepared for the year's great avalanche of passengers.
Revenue grows more than tourist arrivals
In Andalusian destinations, income from international tourism is growing more than the number of arrivals. Data provided by Spain's national institute of statistics (INE) shows that tourist expenditure rose to 1.7 billion euros last year, representing a growth of 17.2%. This confirms that the region is attracting more and more tourists with high purchasing power. Andalucía has become the second region with the highest increase in international tourism income, only preceded by Madrid, which recorded an increase of almost 20%.
In April, the region also managed to position itself as the second main destination for foreign passengers, growing by 10%, surpassing the Balearic Islands and just behind Catalonia, which was the region chosen by 20% of foreign visitors. Andalucía welcomed 1,388,579 tourists, 16.2% of the total who visited the country.
