What was the Easter experience for the Costa del Sol hospitality industry?

The hospitality industry was dreading the worst for Easter in Andalucia, but it ended up being “good” in the end. Strong performances along the coast and good airport traffic helped offset the challenges in Malaga due to the disconnection of the high-speed railway. Baggage handling strike, high-speed rail cut off for work, new EES process at Malaga airport causing delays, all of these headlines pointed to Semana Santa disaster 2026.

Javier Frutos, president of the Federación Andaluza de Hostelería, delivered the positive assessment on Monday, April 6. He stated that the general results were good, citing strong coastal demand as well as busy airports to support visitor numbers despite disruptions to high-speed trains to Malaga.

Tourist spending remains cautious due to rising costs

Operators reported that visitors were spending less than they did in the previous years. Frutos attributed this moderating of spending directly to the higher prices of diesel, especially, as a result the Middle East conflict. Bookings at the last minute helped to boost the season’s momentum despite initially cautious forecasts. Andalucian businessmen have given a positive assessment of the Easter period. It exceeded expectations in several areas.

Malaga adapts after high-speed rail fails

In Malaga City, specifically, where industry estimates had projected losses of up to €1.3 billion due to the AVE outage, Spanish holidaymakers found alternative ways to reach the province. Frutos acknowledged the fact that people actively sought out other transportation options. However, Frutos stressed that rail disruptions still caused difficulties to the destination.

Some organisers report drops in visitor numbers of up to 20%. Despite the challenges, the hospitality industry in the province has avoided many of the worst-case scenarios people had feared.

Tourism figures continue to show growth

Andalucia received 784,734 foreign tourists in the month of February. This represents a 1,07 % increase over the same time last year. The visitors’ spending reached more than a billion euro, which represents a healthy 5,15 percent increase. Although the final March figures have not been released, it is expected to continue with the same growth.

A strong Easter week was delivered by hotels, bars and restaurants in the entire region. Malaga will continue to press for a rapid resolution to the high-speed rail link, but the ability of tourists to adapt by using other routes helped minimize the overall impact.

Frutos’ and other operators are now looking ahead with measured optimism. Recognising the resilience shown in this key tourism season and the need to address the infrastructure challenges, they look to the future with a measure of optimism.