Costa del Sol Hoteliers Anticipate Surge in Tourist Numbers
The Costa del Sol hoteliers association, Aehcos, has forecasted a significant increase in tourist numbers for July this year, surpassing the figures from the same period in 2019. The association’s director, Jose Luque, revealed that the occupancy rate, initially expected to be around 78%, has remarkably improved.
Hotel Occupancy Rates Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels
According to the data, the occupancy rate in hotels for July reached 85%, exceeding the 2019 levels when the occupancy rate was 84%. This indicates that the Spanish Costa del Sol hoteliers are expecting the tourist numbers for July 2022 to surpass pre-pandemic levels.
Increased Tourist Numbers but Reduced Profits
Despite the increase in tourist numbers, Luque stated that hotel owners earned less profit this year compared to 2019. This decrease in profits is attributed to the skyrocketing electricity costs. However, the current data is significantly better than the occupancy rate in July 2020, when only 58% of hotels on the Costa del Sol were occupied.
Slowdown Expected in August
The association, however, predicts a slowdown in August with an occupancy rate of 82%, which is 8 percentage points lower than the 2019 levels. The most popular holiday destinations in Spain’s Costa del Sol for July are Marbella, with a 91% occupancy rate, and Torremolinos, with an 89% occupancy rate.
Shift in Tourist Demographics
Aehcos had initially predicted that 70% of tourism on the Costa del Sol would be from foreign visitors. However, the figure is likely to be around 60%, as more Spaniards are choosing to holiday in this part of the country. Luque also mentioned that international tourists have been affected by the widespread industrial action at Ryanair and Easyjet, Europe’s two largest budget airlines.
Related News
In related news, The Olive Press recently interviewed Darren Parmenter, the tourism councillor for San Fulgencio and La Marina Urbanisation in Spain. The tourism sector in Spain is also experiencing a ‘dazzling’ surge, with hopes for a record year. Additionally, Spain’s Andalucia region is witnessing a significant boost in tourism.
