Marbella Records Highest Number of Foreign Tourist Overnight Stays in Seven Years
Marbella has seen a significant increase in overnight stays by foreign tourists in November, marking the highest number in the past seven years. The town played host to a total of 33,400 tourists in the previous month, with 24,790 of these visitors hailing from overseas and 8,610 being Spanish nationals.
Hotel Occupancy and Tourist Statistics
According to Laura de Arce, the general director of Marbella tourism, the town’s hotel occupancy rate stood at 54.3 per cent, marking a five per cent increase compared to the same period in 2022. The data also showed that foreign tourists tend to stay for longer periods compared to national tourists. As 2023 draws to a close, overnight stays by international travellers for the year have reached 82.05 per cent, the highest percentage since records began.
Increased Tourism from Various Nationalities
De Arce further elaborated that there has been growth in the number of tourists from all countries that the INE (Spanish national institute of statistics) tracks data for. This includes Spain, Germany, France, Britain, and other countries not specifically mentioned. She also noted that the number of overnight stays and tourists received has already surpassed the figures for 2022 by 195,829 and 31,000 respectively, even without the data for the last month of the year.
Rise in Average Room Prices
In terms of average prices, De Arce highlighted that guests paid an average of 173.92 euros per room this November, a significant increase from 157.63 euros last year and 97.65 euros in 2019.
Marbella’s Luxury Tourism Sector
Marbella’s luxury tourism sector has been particularly successful, attracting visitors with high purchasing power who contribute to the town’s economy. The town has been focusing on attracting tourists from North American countries, with the mayor, Ángeles Muñoz, highlighting the town’s relationship with ‘Virtuoso’, the largest platform of luxury travel agencies in the USA.
Marbella’s Position in the International Golf Sector
The Solheim Cup, which took place in Marbella in September, has put the town at the forefront of the international golf sector, particularly for women. The mayor also emphasized the importance of the direct flight from Malaga to New York, although she noted that the number of people arriving in the town this year has exceeded that of the aforementioned connection, indicating that North Americans have been arriving in the town through various means.
