Malaga aims to attract quality of tourism instead of quantity

Malaga, the vibrant capital of the Costa del Sol, has set its sights on a lofty ambition to bolster its status as a European tourism hotspot by doubling the number of five-star hotel beds available within the city over the next four years.

Mayor Francisco de la Torre articulated the city's aspiration to welcome more luxury hotels, with Councillor for Tourism Jacobo Florido confirming the plan to expand the offering of five-star accommodations during this four-year period.

This determination to enhance the city's hospitality landscape comes amidst a banner year for tourism, which is poised to shatter records by the end of the year. "Our emphasis should be on growth in quality rather than quantity. We need to incentivize developers and investors to bring top-tier hotels to Malaga. Although progress may be gradual, there are ongoing initiatives," Mayor De la Torre asserted.

The Costa del Sol has just concluded a summer season with impressive hotel occupancy rates, particularly for four and five-star establishments. The latter achieved an outstanding average occupancy rate of 92.1% between June and August, while forecasts for September anticipate a 91% occupancy rate and approximately 80.5% for October.

"This year is witnessing record-breaking tourism figures. Malaga has demonstrated its allure and potential as a premier tourist destination, but our aim is to elevate excellence and quality. We are looking to tap into lucrative markets, including high-spending Asian tourists, while continuing to nurture markets with substantial growth potential, such as the United States and Canada," the Mayor added. The average room rate in Malaga's five-star hotels currently stands at around 267 euros.

Mayor De la Torre expressed optimism regarding the ongoing direct flight service from Malaga to New York, operated by United Airlines three times a week, which has sparked increased interest from American tourists. He also cited data from Amadeus, indicating a "strong increase" in North American tourists visiting the Costa del Sol from this month until January 2024. Additionally, within Europe, significant increases of 74% in Italian arrivals and 35% in Dutch arrivals are expected, according to De la Torre.

Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) reported 610,131 overnight stays in Malaga during June and July, with an average stay duration of 2.26 days. "It is worth noting that in June, Malaga boasted an impressive 87.9% occupancy rate, the second-highest among major cities with over 500,000 residents, surpassing Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, and Zaragoza," Mayor De la Torre proudly noted.

International tourists accounted for two out of every three visitors who selected Malaga city as their summer destination, with the majority hailing from the UK, Italy, Germany, and the United States.