SPAIN & PORTUGAL COSTA DEL SOL DESTINATIONS S
tretching for 100 miles along the coast of Malaga province,
the Costa del Sol has been attracting British holidaymakers for more than half a century. You might think we would be
tired of it by now, but tourist numbers were higher than ever in 2015 – a record that is set to be broken again this year. The Costa del Sol – along with other destinations perceived as ‘safe’ in mainland Spain, the Balearics and the Canary Islands – has of course seen a huge increase in interest as a result of the unstable situation in other countries. According to Abta, bookings to Spain are up by 26% for this summer. The Costa del Sol has been
striving continually to keep up to date with developing tourism
trends – with varying degrees of success. An average of 320 days of sunshine a year is not enough to draw visitors back again and again. Yet it seems the demand is
there. Thomas Cook offered holidays to the Costa del Sol from 1950 until 2012. Now, after a four-year break, it has decided to bring the destination back for next summer. Chris Mottershead, managing director for Thomas Cook UK & Ireland, says: “During our break from operating charter flights to Costa del Sol we received strong customer demand for the destination, which has resulted in the reintroduction for summer 2017.” Hotels are raising their game, and an important development this year is the legal requirement
An improved road network has made Andalusia’s historic cities more accessible
for self-catering accommodation to be registered, which gives hotels a fairer chance to compete. Neil Hesketh of Spanish
Approach, a marketing company based on the Costa del Sol, says: “The Costa del Sol has seen an upgrading of its product in recent years – there is now a better quality of accommodation and new attractions in line with contemporary tastes. An improved road network has made the
historic cities and natural beauty of inland Andalucia more accessible, making it more attractive as a year-round destination.”
w NERJA At the eastern end of the Costa del Sol, on the border with Granada province, the pretty resort of Nerja remains low-key even though it has been well established for four decades – making it a good choice outside high season. Although a favourite for
families, it also attracts older people looking for a quieter kind of holiday and is very popular with Germans and Scandinavians as well as British visitors. Nerja is a good base
for exploring by car, with whitewashed villages and
9 June 2016
travelweekly.co.uk 67
FAST FACT
Norwegian has added routes to
Malaga and Alicante from Manchester, with one-way fares from £35
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