Hoteliers hope for a better September

THE Costa’s foreign tourists compensated for cash-strapped Spanish visitors reluctant to spend.

No would have made a fortune this August, said Marbella and Estepona hoteliers and although occupancy averaging 80 per cent had been very good, this could not compare with July’s which had been even higher.

As always, August saw an influx of Spanish tourists, but alongside the traditional British and German markets, Russian tourism also made its mark.

This was less a question of increasing numbers than the fact that Russians who visited the Costa del Sol came with the intention of spending.

July lived up to predictions, confirmed the Marbella branch of the Costa del Sol’s Hoteliers Association, but tourists spent less in August and did not fulfil expectations.

The Kempinski hotel in Estepona whose August forecasts were met thanks to the British, plus increased bar and restaurant takings, was cited as a typical example.  July had been a good month for Arab tourism but August less so, owing to the impact of Ramadan falling in that month.

July and August followed a similar pattern at the Marbella Club although Alberto Muñoz, manager of the Puente Romano Hotel, found August’s occupancy similar to 2010’s.  Unlike other years, however, Spanish tourism was evenly distributed throughout the month instead of being concentrated in the first fortnight of August.

September promised to be good, agreed the hoteliers, as tourists visiting the Costa at this time of the year generally had greater purchasing power.