Lorraine Williamson
The Costa del Sol has just posted its biggest tourism year on record. Yet the headline isn’t simply “more tourists”. It’s that the destination is making more money per visitor — and claiming a sharper rise in jobs — as the province tries to prove it can grow without tipping into backlash.
Málaga province’s tourism board says 14.65 million tourists visited in 2025, up 1.19% on the previous year. Spending rose faster: revenue reached €21.8117bn, an increase of 2.8%.
Employment is the standout. The balance presented by Diputación president Francisco Salado puts tourism jobs at 152,162 people, up around 10% on 2024, citing Spain’s Labour Force Survey (EPA).
At a glance: 14.65m tourists • €21.8bn in revenue • 152,162 tourism jobs
“Quality over quantity” — and why officials keep saying it
The phrase “quality tourism” is doing heavy lifting across Spain right now. Residents in many hotspots have grown louder about overcrowding, housing pressure and strained services. Against that backdrop, Málaga’s pitch is clear: don’t obsess over raw arrivals; judge the model by spend, stability and seasonality.
Salado argued that revenue, profitability and jobs are rising faster than visitor numbers — proof, he says, that the strategy is working.
There is a catch, though. More “quality” often means higher prices and a stronger push towards premium markets. That can sharpen the debate about who the Costa del Sol is for — and who gets priced out.
Spain is chasing a new kind of visitor
Hotels: slightly lower occupancy, higher returns
One of the more revealing details is what’s happening inside the hotel sector. Average hotel occupancy by room slipped to about 75.4% (down just over a point), while revenue per available room (RevPAR) climbed 7.21% to €108.20. In other words, rooms were a little less full, but more profitable.
The destination also expanded its regulated accommodation capacity to 701,994 places, up 6.5%. Reports note this figure includes tourist housing within the regulated supply, which helps explain why “more beds” can coincide with a softer occupancy rate.
Jobs: the real test is permanence
The tourism board’s message is upbeat: more jobs and fewer short-term contracts.
That is the central promise of “de-seasonalisation”. If visitors spread across the calendar, hotels and restaurants can keep staff on longer contracts. The question is whether the gains in 2025 translate into reliably year-round work across the wider coast — not only in Málaga city and the top-end resorts.
The airport story: growth, queues, and a bigger plan
Connectivity remains the Costa del Sol’s trump card, especially for the UK and northern Europe. The tourism balance cited rising airport traffic and said airlines have already scheduled 4,402,026 seats for Málaga between January and April 2026 — 6.2% more than the same period a year earlier.
There’s also a practical warning aimed squarely at British travellers. Salado called for stronger passport control staffing to avoid queues for non-Schengen passengers — delays that can sour first impressions fast.
And the airport itself keeps smashing milestones. Aena announced Málaga–Costa del Sol reached 25 million passengers in a single year for the first time in November 2025, and said it is planning a major expansion as part of its 2027–2031 investment programme.
Big brands are doubling down on the coast
The “quality” push is also visible in the hotel pipeline. Meliá is set to operate Holiday World Resort in Benalmádena from March, bringing 864 rooms under its management through an affiliation deal.
For the province, these partnerships signal two things at once: international visibility and a pivot towards higher-spending segments. For residents, it can look like further proof that the Costa del Sol is moving upmarket — whether or not local wages keep pace.
The test in 2026: growth without the grumble
Málaga’s leaders want 2025 to be read as a turning point. More value. More jobs. Less dependence on a single summer rush.
But records bring scrutiny. If the Costa del Sol is serious about “better tourism”, the next step is less about promotional slogans and more about lived results: shorter queues, cleaner streets, smarter water use, housing that still works for workers — and a model locals can tolerate as well as tourists enjoy.
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