Malaga concludes a successful Holy Week with increased tourist spending

The Holy Week in Málaga, which gains more followers each year throughout the province, also serves the dual purpose of reaching out and showcasing Andalusian culture to tourists—beyond the traditional sun and beach combo. This has been reflected in the numbers, which have steadily increased over this period, culminating in a very successful closure.

Last-minute bookings, boosted by good weather, have exceeded the forecasts provided by the hotel industry association Aehcos last Holy Wednesday, which estimated an average occupancy of 83% in hotel accommodations in the province for these last four days. This figure climbed to 85% by Saturday. The hospitality sector is also celebrating, noting higher revenue than in the previous year, 2024, which was affected by poor weather at this time.

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Málaga maximizes Holy Week with a full Saturday: 'It's better than we imagined'

If Holy Week 2024 ended somewhat dimmed by rain, every day except Tuesday, the opposite happened this time, with Holy Week 2025 being nearly perfect. Regarding the weather, the exception was Holy Tuesday, which had wind and rain, but this hardly affected the hotel bookings, which surged in the last stretch.

The most notable aspect is that they have exceeded the sector's expectations for these dates thanks to the increasingly marked increase in last-minute bookings. There is a percentage of tourists who no longer organize their vacations so far in advance and decide only at the last moment, mainly based on whether the weather will be good, as has fortunately been the case since Holy Tuesday, when weather stability has been a constant.

"The occupancy forecasts have improved, and this Saturday we can say that there has been an 81-82% average throughout the week in the province"

The first place where an increase in travelers and tourists was noticed was at the Costa del Sol airport, especially in the last stretch of Holy Week. On Holy Thursday, 428 flights were recorded, but the busiest days will be this Resurrection Sunday, and tomorrow, Monday, with 535 and 554 landing and takeoff operations, respectively. In total, Málaga airport will operate almost 5,900 flights during Holy Week, 1,200 more than during the same dates last year.

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Aehcos' forecast climbed positions mid-week. If they started with an average occupancy forecast for the entire week in the province of 77%, by Holy Wednesday it had risen to 80%, and finally, this Saturday, it ended at 82%. Specifically for the big days, Holy Thursday and Good Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it surged to 85%, as confirmed by Aehcos' Executive Vice President, Javier Hernández, this Saturday.

"Málaga reaffirms itself as a preferred destination for family and quality tourism; we have noticed the growth of the North American traveler"

In the capital, the figures have been even better, as in the first part hotels were at an average occupancy of 86-87%, and ended on the big days at 94%, which in many cases meant practically hanging the 'no vacancies' sign, the famous 'sold out'. However, hoteliers still reference the year 2023, with an overall average in the province of 84%. Last year, 2024, with the bad weather, they stayed at 76%, hence they celebrate 82% in this 2025, six points above.

On the western coast, the general manager of Holiday World, Mari Francis Peñarroya, makes a "sensational" assessment of the entire week, "with international and national markets, and long stays, we've hung the sold out, 98-99%", adding that they have met all their expectations. In Málaga, the director of AC Málaga Palacio and also responsible for the Larios hotel, Jorge González, has adhered more to the good figures in the last days of the week, from Holy Wednesday, "we've been really full, the rest of the week, around 83%; the uncertainty about whether it was going to be good weather weighed at the beginning of the week, especially when last year's weather was so bad."

"The good weather has accompanied us and this has had a very positive impact, allowing the beach bars to have good figures"

In the eastern area, María Herrero, co-founder of the boutique hotel chain B bou, with accommodations La Viñuela and Cortijo Bravo, agrees that from Holy Thursday they have been at 98%, but that the first days of the week remained at 75%. "Holy Week has been good. If the weather is good, occupancy follows," she indicated this Saturday.

The president of the tourist housing employers' association (AVVAPro), Juan Cubo, is also satisfied with a 77% occupancy in the province, which means an occupancy 12 points above 2024. The main sending country in this type of accommodation has been the United Kingdom, and "an increase in North American tourism has been noticed. Málaga reaffirms itself as a preferred destination for family and quality tourism," he pointed out.

"The increase in international tourists has been noticeable, and especially a higher billing compared to the year 2024"

Rural accommodations (Ruralidays.com) are also celebrating a strong growth in occupancy of 40% compared to 2024. Málaga has led the occupancy and positioned itself as the star destination in Andalusia, with figures above 73% for the main period (from Holy Thursday to Resurrection Sunday); and 64% for the complete week. Meanwhile, the average in Andalusia remained below, hovering around 70% on the big days.

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In the hospitality sector, revenue figures have obviously been higher than in 2024, since the bad weather greatly retracted this sector, so the president of the Málaga Hoteliers Association (Mahos), Javier Frutos, has been particularly satisfied: "Billing has been above last year, and we have noticed the increase in international tourists, who have a higher average ticket."

The president of the Málaga Beach Entrepreneurs Association, Manuel Villafaina, only has good words for the week they are about to close: "Splendid sunshine, except Tuesday, good temperature, skewers, and vitamin D," he joyfully recounts, have been the keys to a Holy Week he has described as "spectacular." Surpassing thus the year 2024, but there remains the thorn of improving 2023, for which the tourism sector is already setting its sights on the upcoming year.