This year’s World Travel Market at London’s Excel Exhibition Center in November not only drew record crowds, but one of the most popular stalls was that of the Andalucía Tourist Board.
The four-day event, which hosted 5,402 exhibitors from more than 200 regions and countries, attracted visitors from all corners of the world, an increase of 2% compared to last year’s event, according to WTM President, Fiona Jeffery.
One of the new exhibitors was the city of Cádiz, famous for its dome-shaped skyline that doubled as Havana in the James Bond film ‘Live and Let Die’, and Gibraltar, which recently launched a new tourism marketing campaign. , was at Excel after a few years of absence.
The atmosphere at the Andalucía and Costa del Sol stands was particularly optimistic. The Spanish Tourism Agency announced that the British not only visit Spain more frequently, but also explore less commercial areas such as the interior of Andalusia or cultural destinations such as Córdoba and Granada. Almost half of the visitors said they visit Spain to experience the culture and its beaches.
Brits are also spending more per capita over the holidays, music to the ears of restaurant and hotel owners for whom 2007 turned out to be a bumper year with room occupancy rates rising by more than 5 per cent compared to 2006.
Resort developers like Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels are forecasting even better numbers for 2008. To accommodate the growing demand for holidays in Spain, Club La Costa is expanding its flagship resort, California Beach in Mijas Costa. The company recently announced plans to open a 215-suite luxury hotel overlooking the beach in 2009. California Beach Hotel and Residences will offer an exceptional range of facilities, including one of the largest health spas in Spain, an entertainment venue outdoor living, restaurants, cafeterias, bars and boutiques, gardens and swimming pools, 24-hour concierge/reception and security, and sea and mountain views from all suites.
The location is ideal, just 20 minutes from Malaga airport, 15 minutes from Marbella and just 5 minutes from the nearby new Miramar Shopping Center, where shoppers will find numerous cafes, restaurants, a multi-screen cinema (showing films in English) , supermarket, boutiques and home furnishings retailers.
With over 9 world-class golf courses, including the championship La Cala course within a ten-minute radius, the hotel is just minutes from Golf Valley, which has one of the highest concentrations of courses on the Costa del Sol. The California Beach Hotel will be close to the Fuengirola and Cabopino marinas, and for racing fans, the Hipódromo, which has daytime and nighttime meetings, is a short drive away.
Membership of Club La Costa, one of Europe’s leading resort developers since 1984, increased by more than 10 percent during the summer months and Richard Fletcher, Resort Director, expects 2008 to be even busier.
“Spain has always been a popular destination, but we have had an exceptionally busy summer. As part of our expansion plans, we are building a series of new resorts in Europe, including California Golf, in the south of Tenerife, and a series of new projects in Spain, the new hotel and holiday homes. We are also moving to Turkey with an exciting project, the Adonis, near Bodrum, which is a special development of modern townhouses with an adjacent pristine beach surrounded by beautiful natural parks.”
Despite the hotel options that the Costa del Sol offers, the British are moving towards timeshare, recognizing it as a holiday ‘investment’ compared to paying for hotel rooms and one of the main reasons is value for money . Club La Costa’s interior designed apartment suites, like Santa Cruz Suites in Spain, accommodate up to 6 people. Guests have numerous facilities on their doorstep, including private jacuzzis, which most self-catering private apartments or hotels do not have.
Richard Fletcher adds: ‘Our members like the fact that almost everything is on site: restaurants, live entertainment, children’s entertainment, gyms, our own affiliated medical clinic Xanit Hospital, one of the best in Andalusia, service concierge and more. Families can relax in the sun with all the comforts of home: space, luxury and excellent service, at a fraction of the cost of a deluxe category hotel room.
While the Andalusian government’s ‘2020’ plan aims to keep Spain at the top of the international tourist destination rankings by offering even more quality leisure facilities, private sector companies such as Club La Costa are also investing in the Costa del Sol as a long-term destination. Hard to beat a tourist favourite. With the UK still Spain’s biggest market, expectations are that visitor numbers to the region will rise another 5 per cent in 2008, a conservative estimate according to some hoteliers.
The slogan of the Andalusian Tourism Board’s advertising campaign is: ‘Andalucía te quiere’ (Andalusia loves you) and, apparently, the feeling is mutual. The British love story returns with the Costa del Sol.
