Málaga province has finished 2025 with an average annual hotel occupancy of 78.72%, marking a 0.74% increase compared to 2024, when it reached 78.14%. This also represents a significant 4.10% rise from 2019’s occupancy rate of 75.62%, as per the latest Statistical Occupancy Report released by Aehcos (Association of Hotel Entrepreneurs of the Costa del Sol).

According to the report, hotel occupancy remains solid and stable in 2025, consolidating the positive results achieved in 2024, consistently exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

José Luque, the President of Aehcos, has positively assessed these numbers, indicating that the 2025 figures reflect an “era of stability and maturity for the Costa del Sol destination.” He elaborated on the overall performance surpassing levels from before 2020, emphasizing that the hotel industry has strengthened its competitiveness and adaptability in increasingly demanding tourism contexts. “We have overcome the recovery phase and have entered a normalization period with stable and solid figures,” he noted, while cautioning about the political and military sensitivities across Europe that could impact tourism.

Annual Evolution

The peak months of 2025 observed significant improvements over both 2024 and 2019.

• June reached 88.14%, up 0.31% from 2024 and 5.20% from 2019.
• July rose from 86.66% to 89.82% (+3.65% year-on-year), exceeding 2019 levels by 6.67%.
• August recorded 92.15%, achieving a 1.39% growth against 2024 and 2.70% compared to 2019.
• September increased to 90.97%, 2.51% above 2024 and 4.88% above 2019.

Spring and autumn seasons have gained traction throughout the year. May shows 86.06%, slightly down 1.81% from 2024 but 9.77% more than in 2019. October achieves 88.21%, up 1.74% from 2024 and an improvement of 13.57% from 2019, one of the most substantial increases for the year.

Winter Months

Although winter months show slight adjustments compared to 2024, they remain positively over 2019 figures. For January 2025, occupancy is 60.58%, 5.74% higher than in 2019; February stands at 71.56%, with a 15.83% increase compared to 2019, maintaining stability from 2024; and November rises to 67.80%, improving 2.40% from 2024 and 6.47% from 2019. December closed with 56.91%, 0.28 percentage points higher than 2024’s 56.63%, slightly above 2019’s 55.13%.

In addition to occupancy, Aehcos also raised concerns regarding the insufficient investment in transport infrastructure, mobility, beach facilities, water supply installations, and the lack of affordable housing in Málaga province. This situation, according to the hotel association, affects the competitiveness of the destination and visitor experience quality.