Costa del Sol tourism statistics released for the next edition of Fitur

The chairman of the Tourist Board of the Costa del Sol, Salvador Pendón, and the manager of the institution, Ana Gómez, have submitted data for the national market for the next edition of Fitur, and showed their satisfaction that the majority of the indicators are positive.

In 2008 have visited the province of Malaga a total of 3,056,000 spanish tourists. This represents in comparison to the year 2007 a 1.5% growth of the domestic market.

There has been a slight increase (1.9%) of travelers arriving in national hotels during 2008 compared to 2007, reaching 2,384,000 persons

 In 2008 have been registered 6,416,000 domestic hotel overnight stays, which means an increase of 1.27% compared to 2007.

 This year there has been a total of 689,000 overnight stays in tourist apartments  in the province of Malaga, reflecting a slight increase of 0.97% over the previous year.

 The average stay of domestic tourists in 2008, according to Tourism Centre, is set at 8.9 days, slightly higher than in the previous year  (+0.11).

 Andalusia has been the community that has contributed the mayor number of passengers to hotels in Malaga in 2008, with 58% of the total (0.30 points higher than the previous year), followed by Madrid (15.45%) and Catalonia (5.31%). These communities bring together about 80% of travelers arriving in the province of Malaga.

 During the year 2008 the number of domestic passengers arriving from Malaga Airport amounted to a total of 1,410,000; this represents a significant decline compared to 2007 of 20%, driven mainly by the transfer of passengers to the AVE Madrid -- Malaga.

 During the first year of operation of the line Madrid-Malaga Ave, the number of passengers that  reach the station Maria Zambrano has almost doubled, reaching 749,793 passengers (+91%).

 These results need to unite the expectations that are opened with the launch of a Saragossa Ave and linking Malaga with Tarragona and Barcelona.

 58.1% of domestic tourists overnight at Costa del Sol hotel accommodations while a 28.68% state to have a home owned or rented here.

The most used transportation method by tourists travelling to the Costa del Sol is the car (57.64%), followed by flights to Malaga (29.25%).

A high percentage (92%) of Spanish tourists express their motivations in the choice of the Costa del Sol as their holiday destination are related to the use of its tourism products.

The ranking of tourism products for tourists to use during their stay on the Costa del Sol is led by Sun and Beach, Golf, Culture, Health and Wellbeing, Trips to the Interior, Weekend and Gastronomy.

More than half of Spanish tourists (54.8%) did not identify any negative aspects of the Costa del Sol. Among the positive factors found by tourists at our destination is the weather (20.5%), aspects like the diversity of our touristic offer (17.97%), entertainment (16.13%) and environment (11.7%).