Malaga's Popularity is on the Rise According to Reports
Malaga is increasingly becoming one of the world's most prized destinations due to a variety of factors. While this may look like an overnight success for the small port city, this comes as a result of many efforts to make it a prime destination.
Let's take a look at the hard numbers coming out about tourism in Malaga. We'll also address the factors contributing to Malaga's increasing popularity with tourists from around the world.
The Statistics
Malaga was named the fastest growing tourist destination in Spain in 2018. More than 1,300,000 tourists visited Malaga in 2017. This was a 9% increase over the number who visited in 2017. That was despite a 3% drop in national tourists. International tourists accounted for 900,000 of these visitors, causing hotel stays to increase by nearly a fifth year over year. The average hotel stay in Malaga was more than two days, while the average tourist stayed nearly ten days. Malaga hotel occupancy rates were just below 80%, barely less than the 82% occupancy rate seen in Barcelona.
A Deep Dive into the Data
Malaga has a very high quality of life. This explains why Malaga has seen the highest population gain of any province in Spain, followed by Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Balearic Islands. This led to several thousand Spaniards moving to the region, something made remarkable by the fact that Spain lost more than 70,000 inhabitants in the same time frame. Its climate and quality of life attract pensioners who stay on extended vacations or live there during the summer. And a surprising number choose to stay. More than 80% of properties bought in the region are bought by foreigners. In comparison, around 13% of all properties bought in Spain are purchased by a foreigner.
Foreigners investing in Malaga can receive a residence permit if they buy a home worth more than half a million Euros. If they live in the country less than six months a year and their children don't attend local schools, they aren't considered Spanish residents for tax purposes. Most of those who invest in Malaga real estate started as tourists before deciding to stay long term.
Why Malaga Is Seeing So Many Visitors
Malaga has attracted EU tourists and real estate buyers since the 1960s. World events have made other tourist destinations less attractive, but Spain remains safe. The Spanish coast provides excellent service to tourists from around the world. This is because Marbella's local administration recognizes how much foreign visitors contribute to the economy. They know that tourism accounts for a fifth of GDP and more than a tenth of local employment.
Interestingly, Malaga serves budget travelers as well as luxury travelers. Many services make it easy to find a great Malaga car hire deal and you can also find a wide array of restaurants, entertainment venues, and shopping outlets. For example, you can find designer shops and luxury hotels there that rival any other high-end tourist destination. The fact that you can find luxury beach homes cheaper there than elsewhere in the EU is only a bonus.
Conclusion
Malaga's beautiful landscape and climate are renowned. However, it is a strong and supportive infrastructure for tourism that is keeping its economy going strong.