Costa del Sol sun and sea tourism deals better with the crisis
Exceltur Meeting
Benalmadena increases its income by 11%, according to Exceltur. Fuengirola, amongst those that are most descending
The traditional holiday destinations, with Benalmadena in the head group, have firmly resisted the downfall of the crisis during these last three years. According to a brief presented yesterday by Exceltur, the most touristic points of the country, linked to the offer of sun and sea, have not only not decreased during this period, but they managed to close last year with an overall balance of growth, in both profitability and employment.
This brief, that analyses the evolution of the 105 top-quality municipalities in the industry, highlights the behaviour of Benalmadena, that increased its hotel occupation, between 2008 and 2011, in 2.3 points -between 73.2% and 75.5%- and in 11.6 points the income received per room, which means 5.6% more than in the average of the best areas of the coast.
The excellent result of Benalmadena, that is experiencing the eighth most steepest increase in the country, only behind destinations like Ibiza and Roses, stands out above other consolidated places like the Costa del Sol. Marbella, for example, settled the past three-year period with an increase of 0.3% in the profitability indicator, a figure way under average, but well compensated by the increase in the occupation chapter, of 3.4 points.
The descent of Fuengirola. The efficiency of the touristic aristocracy on the coast does not extend all over the territory, not even in the province, where the research detects downfalls. In the case of Torremolinos, with a 3.3% descent of income per room and, most of all, Fuengirola, that Exceltur has added to the rest of “looser” destinations, with a 10.3% descent in profitability and a loss of 4.6 points in general occupation.
The slump of these last aforementioned municipalities is mainly due, according to the breif, to the stagnation of their facilities, the town-planning congestion and the deliberate bet on a massive demand of a less spending capacity, that has been affected by the irruption of the crisis. In general terms, the strength shown by the destinations on the coast, in comparison to the urban ones, a lot more prim in their growth, considerably obeys the industry’s movements over the past few years, characterised by the monetary ups and downs and the recycling of the tourists that come from other latitudes. In this sense, Exceltur mentions the entrance of travellers as a result of the politic instability of the Mediterranean Arabic destinations. It also refers to the moderation of the offer as the core of the increase of income per room.
Malaga’s rise of 2011. Despite the predominance of the holiday destinations, the city tourism accumulates a balance that, in some cases, like Santander and Barcelona, leaves a positive mark. Malaga registers an accumulated descent of 7.4% in the rate per room and of 0.9 points regarding hotel occupation. In the last year, however, the destination has dishevelled up to the point of reaching a spectacular increase, 8.2% in income and 2.8% in employment. The highest increase in the whole country, together with Barcelona. Exceltur links the increase to the proximity of the places with demand of sun and sea and to the strength of the tourism of cruises; after all, Malaga has the advantage of not having to depend exclusively on the affluence of the national public, that has been rather more timid this year as a result of the country’s economic weakness.
The balance of 2011, included in the research, also reflects Benalmadena’s rise, once again, that over the last twelve months increased the profitability of its rooms by 17.7 points, with 2.2% more employment. It also refers to Fuengirola, on the other hand, that concludes the list of the country’s holiday destinations with a decline of 4.8 and 3.4%, respectively.
Exceltur’s barometer insists that the destinations with the best results over the last few years have been the ones who decided to renew part of their offer.
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