Costa del Sol closes July with hotel occupancy approaching 90%

The Costa del Sol ended July 2026 with hotel occupancy of 89.5%, confirming the destination’s strength during one of the busiest months of the tourism season. The result exceeded both the hotel sector’s initial forecasts and the figure recorded during the same period in 2025.

Occupancy rose by 1.68 percentage points compared with the 87.82% registered a year earlier. It also surpassed the initial forecast of 86.37% issued by the Association of Hotel Businesses of the Costa del Sol, known as AEHCOS.

Last-minute bookings drive the final result

Much of the improvement can be attributed to bookings made only a few days before arrival. This trend allowed many hotels to fill rooms that were still available at the beginning of the month and close July with stronger results than expected.

The figures confirm that an increasing number of travellers are waiting until the last moment to organise their holidays, compare prices or take advantage of special offers. Although this behaviour makes it more difficult for businesses to predict demand, it ultimately benefited hotels in Málaga and across Andalusia during July.

Torremolinos records the highest occupancy

The results varied across the province’s main destinations. Torremolinos led July’s hotel occupancy with 94.85%, followed by Mijas at 92.26% and Benalmádena at 91.93%.

Fuengirola also exceeded 90%, while Marbella recorded approximately 88.6% and Nerja stood at more than 86.7%. These figures reflect the high demand experienced across much of the Málaga coastline.

The strong performance was not limited to coastal resorts. Inland tourism and rural accommodation also gained momentum, reaching occupancy of around 87%. Growing interest in tranquillity, nature and alternatives to crowded beach destinations is benefiting many inland municipalities across Andalusia.

August remains strong, but shows signs of moderation

Following a better-than-expected July, Costa del Sol hotels are entering August with a forecast occupancy rate of approximately 88.8%. Although this remains a high figure, it is below the 92.15% recorded during the same month in 2025.

The hotel association is once again hoping that last-minute bookings will improve the final result. However, businesses are watching the international market closely. Overseas visitors remain the main driving force behind tourism in the province, but bookings are being made more slowly than expected.

Current forecasts place Benalmádena among the destinations with the strongest outlook for August, with occupancy close to 95%. It is followed by Torremolinos at around 93.64%, while Málaga city could exceed 90%.

Spanish tourists are taking shorter holidays

Another issue causing concern within the sector is the behaviour of the domestic market. Although Spanish travellers continue to represent an important share of summer tourism, hotels have detected a reduction in the number of nights booked per guest.

Higher prices, travel costs and the search for more affordable alternatives may be contributing to shorter holidays. This trend means that businesses must assess not only how many rooms are occupied, but also the length of each stay and the amount spent by visitors.

A summer that confirms the destination’s strength

July’s figures confirm that the Costa del Sol remains capable of attracting large numbers of visitors despite economic uncertainty and changing booking habits.

The coastline continues to record the highest occupancy rates, but the growth of rural tourism shows that travellers are also seeking experiences connected with nature, inland villages and accommodation away from the busiest resort areas.

The sector now enters August closely watching last-minute decisions. With occupancy forecast at almost 89%, the Costa del Sol remains one of the summer’s most popular destinations, although hotels and tourism businesses will continue monitoring international demand and the length of domestic stays.

Information source: Canal Sur, based on data from the Association of Hotel Businesses of the Costa del Sol, AEHCOS.