Overnight stays by Spaniards in the province's accommodations grew by 12.3% between January and June, tripling the pace of foreign visitors. The total reached 14.5 million nights.
Spanish tourists have once again chosen the Costa del Sol for their holidays. According to the latest Tourism Situation report prepared by Turismo Costa del Sol, overnight stays by domestic travellers in the province's accommodations (hotels, apartments, campsites, and rural houses) increased by 12.3% in the first half of 2026, a rate that triples the increase recorded among international tourists, who rose by 3.5%.
In total, between January and June, there were 14.5 million overnight stays across all accommodation options, 821,608 nights more than in the same period last year, representing a 6% increase. Of these stays, 3.1 million correspond to the 1,280,010 Spanish tourists who arrived in the province, a 6.4% increase compared to 2025, as reported by Diario Sur.
The surge in domestic tourism is particularly noticeable in tourist apartments, where nights booked by Spaniards skyrocketed by 56.4% to 633,493, and in hotels, which surpassed ten million stays in a semester for the first time, with 2,246,021 overnight stays by Spanish travellers, a 6.7% increase.
International travellers also set a record by exceeding eight million stays (8,135,940) for the first time, although with more moderate growth. The average stay rose to 3.44 days, and the average occupancy approached 72% of rooms, two points higher than in 2025.
Not all news is positive. Campsites and rural houses recorded declines, and inland tourism lost 25% of travellers and nearly 36% of stays, with a more pronounced drop among foreigners.
The General Director of Turismo Costa del Sol, Antonio Díaz, considers the data to be “very positive” and highlights the role of domestic tourists, whom he regards as “strategic.” “They provide us with de-seasonalisation, stability, and employment. In fact, tourism employment has grown by 4.1% with 6,551 more jobs than last year,” he states. Díaz recalls that the promotion budget for the domestic market has increased by 20% and emphasises: “The goal is for the Costa del Sol to remain the preferred destination for Spaniards, but to be so in spring, autumn, and winter.”
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