The Costa del Sol Hotel Association (Aehcos) projects that hotel occupancy in Málaga during the August Fair (from August 14 to 24, 2025) will reach approximately 89.91%. This figure indicates a decrease of 2.26 percentage points relative to 2024, when occupancy peaked at 92.17% with nine nights recorded from August 16 to 25, as opposed to the ten nights this year, which designates the Night of Fireworks on a Friday, August 15, a national holiday.

Despite lower occupancy levels, the economic impact is projected to be greater. The Average Gross Impact per Hotel Guest (IBCA) amounts to €162.13, up from €139.04 during the 2024 Fair, marking an increase of €23.09 per visitor. According to Francisco Moro, the vice president of Aehcos for Málaga, “with due caution, everything suggests that the economic impact per guest will help mitigate the slight decline we anticipate in hotel occupancy.” He further stated that “there are still available rooms in the capital for booking and we hope that last-minute additions will enhance these initial forecasts.”

Occupancy Breakdown by Weekend

The commencement of the Fair (from August 14 to 17) will witness the highest occupancy spike at 92.61%, three points lower than the recorded 95.61% in the first three days of the 2024 Fair. Regarding the Fair’s conclusion (from August 22 to 24), occupancy is expected to reach 88.48%, four points lower than initial forecasts for the start, yet slightly above the 87.38% noted during that same period of the 2024 Fair.

Aehcos emphasizes that, despite the drop compared to 2024, the August Fair in Málaga maintains a significant economic impact for the sector, buoyed by higher average spending per visitor and tourist demand during the festive period. Agencies and accommodations are advised to implement flexible planning to capitalize on potential last-minute changes and ensure room availability.