Rural tourism in Malaga: 83% occupancy for the coming May Day long weekend

Tourism

The inland areas of the Costa del Sol province have achieved the highest occupancy rate for all Andalucía, with Cordoba province second

Pilar Martínez

Malaga

The inland areas of Malaga province are leading the way on occupancy rates in Andalucía for the upcoming May Day long weekend ('puente').

Data from ... the Ruralidays holiday rentals platform indicate that 83 per cent of rural lodgings are booked for 1 May, with those located in Torrox, Nerja, Frigiliana, Competa and Antequera being especially popular. These municipalities are expected to be the most in-demand locations over this spring weekend break.

"The good weather forecast, combined with 1 May falling on a Friday this year, the current global situation and school holidays coinciding in some European countries, have led to occupancy rates that are well above those for the same period last year," explains Félix Zea, co-founder of Ruralidays.

He attributes the increased demand in the aforementioned municipalities to the fact that "most of them are towns that combine the tranquility of a rural setting with proximity to the sea. At this time of year, properties with swimming pools are the most sought-after and highly-valued."

After inland Malaga comes the province of Cordoba, where a 73 per cent occupancy rate is expected, followed by Cadiz with 71 per cent, Granada with 70 per cent, Seville and Jaen with 69 per cent. At the bottom of the table are Huelva and Almeria, with 63 and 52 per cent respectively. Ruralidays has indicated that the average occupancy rate across Andalucía will be 79 per cent.

79%

is the average occupancy rate forecast for all Andalucía for the May Day puente.

Regarding the profile of the typical tourist heading to inland Andalucía, this holiday platform indicates that the main clients will be the Dutch, representing 36 per cent of the total due to the dates coinciding with a school holiday period in the Netherlands. This is followed by Spanish visitors (23 per cent), thanks to favourable dates for the long weekend.

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The United Kingdom, Germany and France complete the top five: "The number of people per booking in a house is between five and six, with an average price of 34.50 euros per person, which is 6 per cent more than last year," explains Zea.

The co-founder of Ruralidays, a platform with a portfolio of more than 2,700 rental properties across all provinces, anticipates this high occupancy rate throughout May. "We have very positive occupancy forecasts for May, with an increase of over 15 per cent compared to last year. The conflict in the Middle East is causing a greater number of international tourists to choose to spend their holidays in Andalucía, where rural tourism is an increasingly valued and sought-after option."