British Visitors Numbers for Spain up 7.8% So Far in 2017

British Visitors Numbers for Spain up 7.8%  in 2017

Costa Del Sol continues to offer great value and

a wonderful holiday destination

Spain has an enduring appeal that continues because it offers all the simple things but it does it so much better than anywhere else in the world.

The beaches are kept clean, accessible and varied, as well as being served by plenty of restaurants, bars, hotels, and playgrounds; the Spanish climate is pleasant for most of the year; accommodations range from affordable to five-star expensive resorts; the flights to the country are cheap and fly regularly; the cities are historic and modern at once, not to mention beautiful; and the people are incredibly welcoming and friendly.

It’s hardly a surprise that Spain regularly ranks among the top three most-visited destinations each year. It seems that Spain may become THE most popular destination of 2017 however, at least according official tourism data from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE).

Spain welcomed 57 million tourists up to – and including – August of this year; marking an annual increase of 9.9% compared to last year. Around 10.4 million people – which is about a quarter of the population of Spain – visited the country during August. The figure was a 4% increase compared to August 2016, suggesting that the popularity of Spain continues to grow.

The story is the same for British visitors in particular. There have been some fears since the Brexit that British visitors would prefer to stay in the UK instead of travelling overseas where they wouldn’t get as much for their money. It seems that the 13.2 million Brits heading to Spain up to August would prove those fears wrong.

The amount of Brits visiting Spain has increased 7.8% in 2017 compared to 2016, and there have been noticeable increases in tourists coming in from other countries. Some 8.2 million Germans visited Spain, up 7.2% from last year, with 8.4 million French tourists flocking the country; an increase of 1.8%.

The region of Andalucía, which is where Costa del Sol islocated, saw the highest increase in foreign tourists, increasing 5% year last year. Andalucía saw 1.4 million overseas visitors in August alone.

Has This Been the Best Summer Ever for the Costa del Sol?

Has This Been the Best Summer Ever for the Costa del Sol?

The whole year has been fantastic and full of tourists 

What is it that makes a summer special? The weather? Howoften you get to go to the beach? A good football tournament? Getting to travel? Those sweet summer romances?

Summer has a lot of different meanings for a lot of different people, but for an area such as the Costa del Sol, summer generally means blue skies, packed beaches, busy restaurants, and healthy coffers in bars, hotels, cafes, and clubs.

While being busier may not always be better, for an area of the world that depends so heavily on tourism, the more people entering the Costa del Sol the better for its reputation, experience, and services.

With this said, it’s fair to say the Costa del Sol of Spain may have just had their best summer ever. Data taken from the region’s hotel association AHECOS and Turismo Costa del Sol reveal that visitor numbers between June and September were up 5.2% compared to the same time period last year.

This means over seven million people chose to visit theCosta del Sol during the summer, which is the highest amount of tourists ever. But if you are put off by the idea of beaches packed to the brim, then consider the businesses in the region – the boost in tourism improved employment by 8%, and generated over €7.15 billion for the Costa del Sol across summer.

Further statistical information from the tourist board shows that overnight stays during summer increased by 2.36% during summer, with new arrivals increasing by 1.6% over last year.

The positive data has led to speculation that 2017 may very well be the best summer ever for the Costa del Sol, with a large amount of the surge caused by holidaymakers from Britain, Germany, and Scandinavian countries. They can’t resist coming back to the country each year, bringing their full pockets with them. The number of British holidaymakers was up 7% over last year, according to AEHCOS.

Looking into the tradition slower winters, data from airportbookings in Malaga has suggested that arrivals will increase 12% between November and January compared to the same period from last year.