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Although at the moment the temperatures are more typical of summer than autumn, the beach season is in its last throes while inland preparations are under way to start the tourist season where visitors opt to enjoy walks in nature, selecting rural properties to spend a few, leisurely days with friends or family.
So, what are these tourists like who flock to holiday rentals away from the coast in Malaga province? Ruralidays, a company from Malaga that manages more than 2,600 rural houses in Andalucía, 1,500 of which are in villages located in the province of Malaga, points out that October is a very different month to the summer season in terms of rural tourism because not only does the weather change, but there are also substantial differences in terms of occupancy profile, accommodation prices and the type of tourist who enjoys the natural environment.
Malaga's rural holiday homes have a markedly international character to their occupants. Some 92% of all bookings are made by foreigners. Félix Zea, CEO of Ruralidays - the largest rural tourism web platform in Andalucía, adds that "the client is loyal to the destination and, above all, very proactive." By this he means that bookings are formalised at an average of 152 days in advance, almost five months ahead. "It is true that the autumn tourist has very different peculiarities to the summer period. They are usually families from northern Europe who choose our area to rest and enjoy the good weather. In many of these places they now have two weeks of school holidays and our houses are full of families with children."
Therefore, Ruralidays' forecasts highlight the pull of inland Malaga, where they expect an average occupancy rate of 58 to 60%. This figure is 14 points above the Andalusian average for October. However, the company also warn that the figure is 12 points less than that recorded in September and that the economic impact is much lower than in the summer season, so much so that prices are down by up to 50%.
Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are the main markets for foreign tourists heading to Malaga's rural tourism offering, although Ruralidays highlights a strong upturn in travellers from Denmark with a rise of 108.1%, and Sweden by 95.6%. Zea puts these increases down to the increase in inbound flights from these countries, which in the case of Denmark is 9% up for flights to and from Malaga.
These tourists stay in the destination for an average of 8.43 nights, a figure higher than for summer stays. In addition, the average number of occupants is 3.88, paying around 43.85 euros per person. From this platform, the average booking in October was 1,246 euros compared to 1,108 last year, which represents a growth of 12.45%. "This figure is important because it means that we are attracting more and more quality tourists, which is one of the objectives we have been working on for years," explains Félix Zea.
In terms of the type of house they are looking for, the most popular are those with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, outside spaces with swimming pool and a chill-out area, as well as recreational spaces.
Tourists who arrive during this month tend to choose Andalucía to rest up, for its climate, to visit nearby towns and cities, to get to know local culture, and also to enjoy the beach, as well as for its value for money and to enjoy nature. Not forgetting that 12.3% opt for Andalusian destinations to savour the cuisine.
Torrox, Frigiliana, Cómpeta, Nerja and Vélez-Málaga in the Axarquía are the most popular towns in the province of Malaga.
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