Why Does the Costa del Sol Feel Quiet Despite Record Tourism?

# Spain Is Getting More Tourists — So Why Does the Costa del Sol Feel So Quiet?

### Spain is heading towards another record year for international tourism, yet parts of the Costa del Sol can still feel surprisingly quiet. So where are the tourists, how are they spending their money, and are the benefits of Spain's tourism boom reaching everyone?

Spain's tourism industry appears to be having another remarkably strong year.

The latest figures from Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) show that the country received **10.26 million international tourists in May 2026**, an increase of 9.5% compared with May 2025.

During the first five months of the year, Spain welcomed more than **36.8 million international tourists**, 5% more than during the same period last year.

The headline numbers are impressive.

But ask some hotel, restaurant and hospitality businesses on the Costa del Sol and you may hear a rather different story.

There have been periods this year when parts of the coast have felt surprisingly quiet. Business owners in towns such as Fuengirola and Benalmádena have been asking a simple question:

**Where are all the tourists?**

There is little doubt that international tourism is increasing.

Andalucía received **1.63 million international tourists in May**, an increase of 12.7% year-on-year. The region accounted for 15.9% of all international tourist arrivals in Spain that month.

Looking at the first five months of 2026, Andalucía welcomed almost **5.8 million international tourists**, an increase of 8% compared with the same period in 2025.

So the idea that tourists simply aren't coming to the Costa del Sol doesn't fit the available regional statistics.

But visitor numbers alone don't tell the whole story.

Tourism statistics measure arrivals and spending across an entire destination.

A restaurant owner is interested in something much simpler:

**How many people walked through my door today?**

The latest EGATUR figures show that international tourists spent **€13.55 billion in Spain during May 2026**, an increase of 10.9% compared with May 2025.

Average spending per tourist was €1,321, while average daily spending reached **€214**, up 1.7% year-on-year.

During the first five months of 2026, international tourist expenditure in Spain reached **€50.26 billion**, an increase of 7.8%.

Again, the national picture is extremely positive.

But what happens when we look at Andalucía?

In May, international tourists spent approximately **€2.06 billion in Andalucía**, an increase of 8.4% compared with the same month in 2025.

Average spending per tourist was €1,257, while average daily spending was **€200**, up 6.2% year-on-year.

There is, however, another figure that is particularly interesting.

The average international tourist trip in Andalucía lasted **6.3 days**, down 9.4% from the previous year.

That doesn't prove that tourists are spending less locally or that shorter visits are responsible for quieter periods.

But it does demonstrate why simply looking at visitor numbers can be misleading.

**More visitors do not necessarily mean more nights, more meals, more local shopping trips or more customers for every business.**

The distribution of tourism across Spain is another important part of the picture.

In May, Cataluña attracted 21.1% of international tourists, followed by the Balearic Islands at 20.6% and Andalucía at 15.9%.

During the first five months of 2026, Cataluña had received approximately 7.5 million international visitors, the Canary Islands 6.8 million and Andalucía 5.8 million.

Tourist spending is distributed differently again.

In May, Cataluña accounted for 19.1% of Spain's international tourist expenditure, the Balearic Islands 18.9% and Madrid 16%.

Andalucía accounted for around **€2.06 billion**, or roughly 15% of the national total.

That is a reminder that **where tourists go and where they spend are not necessarily the same thing**.

Spain may be welcoming record numbers of tourists, but that doesn't necessarily mean every Costa del Sol business is seeing them.

This may be particularly important on the Costa del Sol.

Marbella attracts a very different visitor profile from Fuengirola.

Málaga city has developed a major city-break and premium tourism market, while Benalmádena and other traditional resort destinations have historically relied heavily on a different mix of visitors.

Luxury hotels, boutique accommodation, package resorts, independent restaurants, beach bars and local businesses can all experience the same tourism season very differently.

A destination can therefore be experiencing record visitor numbers while individual businesses — or even entire areas — experience quiet periods.

One possibility is that a growing proportion of tourism spending is becoming concentrated in particular destinations and higher-value experiences.

The latest figures show that average tourist spending is substantial, but that doesn't mean every euro is distributed evenly throughout the destination.

A visitor spending €1,500 during a short stay in a luxury hotel, high-end restaurants and premium experiences has a very different impact from a visitor spending €1,000 over a longer stay across accommodation, local restaurants, supermarkets, attractions and independent businesses.

Both visitors count equally in the headline arrival statistics.

Their impact on the local economy can be very different.

This is why **visitor numbers, length of stay and spending patterns all matter**.

The latest Andalucía figures give us another reason to look beyond the headline arrival numbers.

International tourists visiting Andalucía in May spent an average of 6.3 days in the region, down 9.4% year-on-year.

That doesn't mean the Costa del Sol is suddenly full of day-trippers.

Nor does it prove that shorter stays are causing quieter periods for local businesses.

But it does raise an interesting question:

**If more people are visiting but spending fewer days in the destination, does the headline visitor number give us the complete picture?**

It is a question worth watching as the year progresses.

The answer may be both yes and no.

The official statistics clearly show that international tourism is growing.

Spain welcomed 5% more international tourists during the first five months of 2026, while Andalucía recorded an 8% increase. International tourist spending across Spain was also up 7.8% during the same period.

But national and regional records don't necessarily tell the story being experienced on a restaurant terrace in Fuengirola, behind the reception desk of a Benalmádena hotel or in a bar in Marbella.

Perhaps the real question isn't whether the tourists are coming.

**It's where they are going, how long they are staying and where their money is being spent.**

And that may be a much more important question for the Costa del Sol than simply celebrating another record visitor number.

Do you live or work on the Costa del Sol?

Have you noticed quieter periods this year despite the headlines about record tourism?

Or are you busier than ever?

We want to hear from residents, business owners and visitors across the coast.

**Is the Costa del Sol as busy as it used to be — or is tourism changing?**

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### Sources

**Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)** — FRONTUR, *Tourist Movements at Borders, May 2026*, provisional data, published 2 July 2026.

**Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)** — EGATUR, *Tourist Expenditure Survey, May 2026*, provisional data, published 2 July 2026.

*All figures quoted are based on the latest provisional INE data available at the time of publication.*