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A tourist enters a hotel in Malaga.
2018, a record year for tourists, income and employment

2018, a record year for tourists, income and employment

Turismo Costa del Sol launches a digital marketing offensive to promote the winter campaign in 14 countries

FRANCISCO GUTIÉRREZ

Friday, 28 December 2018, 11:13

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It has now been confirmed that 2018 has been a record year for tourism in Malaga. The president of Turismo y Planificación Costa del Sol, Elías Bendodo, has assured that this year will end with an overall increase in numbers of tourists of 1.03 per cent, up to 12.5 million visitors.

SOME OF THE FIGURES

  • Arrival of tourists. In overall terms, numbers have increased by 1.03%, reaching 12,556, 000 visitors.

  • Income linked to tourism. It is estimated around 14,200 million euros. According to data from the Turismo Costa del Sol, that's an increase of 2.5% on last year.

  • Employment. The good occupancy and income figures have meant an increase of 4.2% in employment, some 173,000 people who work in this sector.

  • Seasonal changes. In the five year period since 2012, the closing down of establishments during low season has reduced by 3%.

  • Forecast for 2019. The data invites optimism, especially as for the first quarter of the year, flight reservations have already increased by 8.6%

Income linked to tourist activities has also increased 2.5 per cent, to reach 14,200 million euros.

Employment has benefited from these good figures, with a rise of 4.2 per cent and around 173,800 jobs related to the sector.

The fall of 1 per cent in international tourism, mainly British, has been compensated by a 4 per cent national increase. The forecast for 2019 is also looking good.

"Already in the first quarter we have a 6.8 per cent increase in flight reservations," explained Bendodo, who stated that in 2018, the markets lost to competitors such as Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey in 2017 were recovered.

Promotional campaign

Bendodo has also launched the campaign for the low season which aims to promote year-round tourism.

The campaign will reach 45 cities in 13 countries and the publicity will include the most up-to-date technology in order to target specific clients.

The investment for the campaign, national and international, totals 115,000 euros and is aimed primarily at tourists who use the internet as a means of finding information and for making reservations online for their trips.

The objective is to achieve over 55 million hits from prospective clients in the first quarter.

The winter campaign to promote tourism to Malaga province will also be developed for the Granada, Seville and Cordoba regions as well as in other areas accessible from Malaga such as Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia and Zaragoza.

At an international level, the campaign will be promoted in the main cities of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Austria.

A central administration system has been developed to compile and analyse the data from the various sources and to forecast the impact on the locations being promoted.

The digital marketing has been developed in four languages (Spanish, English, French and German) focused on the promotion of four specific segments with the capacity for low season tourism: culture, inland tourism, golf and language tourism.

"The message [we are promoting] is centred on selling the culture and heritage of the province of Malaga, tourism to inland regions and the rich culture on offer there, the possibility of playing golf in the enviable winter climate and the Costa del Sol as a place to visit to learn Spanish," explained Bendodo.

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