Unstable weather does not cloud the good expectations for Easter in the Costa del Sol

By land, sea, and air, the first major surge of tourists of the year has already begun. Expectations are high despite the unstable weather. Hoteliers expect to fill 77% of their rooms, two points above last year's figures, over the ten-day Easter holiday period. During the key days from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, this figure will rise to 81%, slightly lower than in 2024. José Luque, president of Aehcos, points out that "the hotel occupancy forecasts for Easter are positive and suggest figures higher than those obtained in 2024," although he considers the "real benchmark" to be that of 2023. "We are far from the results of 2023 as both years are celebrated in April," he specifies, to clarify that "at first glance this is somewhat worrying news. The figures are far from those recorded during Easter 2023, when hotel occupancy reached 84.23%, thanks especially to the good weather that boosted both the interior of the province and the coastal areas and the capital."

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Owners of tourist homes in the province also expect a better Easter. They plan to hang the 'fully booked' sign in the capital during the key days at the end of these holidays. Juan Cubo, president of the AVVA-Pro association, states that "the data show that these first holidays of the year will have a much higher vacation rental performance than in 2024." He notes that in the three areas analyzed, both the city center and the city as a whole and the province overall, all key indicators have improved this year. "The average rate has increased, occupancy has risen, and therefore, RevPAR, or profitability, has grown substantially compared to the previous year," he specifies, considering that "from the Professional Association of Housing and Tourist Apartments of Andalusia, we very positively value the data on vacation rental occupancy in the city and the province. Currently, in Málaga capital, we are already nearly reaching 70% occupancy, 13.8% above last year, and everything indicates that we will close the week with figures very close to 100%, thanks to last-minute bookings, given that the weather seems to be favorable."

He states that the average price per night has increased by 15.2% compared to last year, confirming a clear trend that the city is increasingly attracting higher quality tourism. In this regard, he emphasizes a "notable increase in American and Asian visitors, with no impact perceived at the moment from the US tariff crisis. We also highlight a particularly relevant data point, although usual in tourist homes: more than 70% of bookings have been made by families." Regarding the indicators of the province, he declares that "occupancy stands at 65%, 4.8% better than last year, and the price per night has improved by a significant 21.4%."

Rural Tourism

The offer of inland tourism is also celebrating, which in its latest data update, confirms that the demand for rural houses in the province of Málaga "has grown considerably and remains well above the rest of the provinces," according to the platform Ruralidays.com. Moreover, it highlights that during the major days of Easter, from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, thanks to last-minute demand, occupancy of rural houses in the province of Málaga has increased from 67% to 70.4%. Félix Zea, co-founder of this Malaga-based platform, warns that "reservations in the houses of Andalusian villages have skyrocketed with a 40% increase compared to last year. The province of Málaga leads in occupancy in Andalusia."

15%

The price of tourist homes in Málaga has increased this Easter.

These positive expectations are key for the hospitality sector and the beach bars on the Costa del Sol to dispel all doubts and agree that "it will be a good Easter." Javier Frutos, president of the Mahos hospitality association, assures that "the forecasts are very positive, despite the uncertainty of the weather conditions, as I believe happens in all Easters." He points out that the major days "will again be the best part of these first holidays of the year. We hope to enjoy an Easter as we believe we deserve."

The president of the Association of Beach Business Owners of the Coast, Manuel Villafaina, agrees that "we expect a very good Easter, better than the last. We notice that quality tourism is coming and that there are many foreign tourists to whom the uncertainty of the weather does not affect because they are used to rain and cold. Easter in Málaga is a spectacle and visitors are delighted."

The desire to travel remains intact. The president of the travel agencies of the Costa del Sol, Sergio García, confirms that "many people from Málaga are going to take advantage of these days to make a getaway." The destinations that continue to lead are the European capitals. In this sense, the airline Ryanair, which advances that it will transport more than one million Spaniards during the Easter holidays, assures that "passengers from Málaga are massively choosing the Canary Islands for these dates, with Gran Canaria being the most popular destination." The company assures that all passengers will be able to carry on board a free suitcase of 40x25x20 centimeters during the Easter trips."

Andalusia

In Andalusia as a whole, a good Easter is expected. The Minister of Tourism, Arturo Bernal, assures that the occupancy rate expected in all accommodations, including tourist homes, will be better than in 2024 with 72.4% of places occupied, which represents a 5.4% increase from the previous year. These figures rise to 80% in hotels in the final stretch of these holidays, seven points more than in the previous year. In tourist housing, it will be 60%, that is, an increase of 4.1%. "These are accurate figures and close to what reality will bring us despite the climatic instability," points out Bernal.

The search engine Jetcost.es also warns of an increase in flight searches by 5%, while hotel searches have increased by 8% compared to Easter 2024. "It is, therefore, the year with the highest number of searches in history," they highlight, pointing out that among the Spanish destinations that combine the appeal of a large city with world-famous processions, sun, and gastronomy, Málaga is the most requested by Dutch travelers, the third by the French, the fourth by the Germans, the fifth by the British, the sixth by the Italians, and the eighth by the Portuguese.

The Alliance for Tourism Excellence (Exceltur) advances that "Spanish businessmen reveal positive expectations for Easter, anticipating a growth of 5.3% in sales and 5.6% in results compared to the same period in 2024, despite the uncertain international context." And they estimate the growth expected in Andalusia at 4.1%. "It presents good prospects, although with caution in its more internationalized urban destinations and with the presence of long-haul tourists," they detail.