FITUR 2023: Costa del Sol to Showcase its Very Best

Spain’s Costa del Sol tourism industry lands at the Madrid International Tourism Fair (FITUR 2023), slated for Jan. 18-22, in an upbeat mood after having reeled in all-time record numbers in tourist arrivals, overnight stays and income.

Speaking at a press meeting, Turismo Costa del Sol President Francisco Salado said the world is on the threshold of a new edition of FITUR which is going to be of vital importance because the domestic market has been key in the recovery of tourism over the past two years.

The Costa del Sol will be coming to this year’s fair with a much larger entourage, with its own 300-square-meter stand and on the eve of the launch of a new campaign for the domestic market in which the tourist board will fork over over a million euros.

The aim is to buttress a growth trend that puts the Malaga province in a predominant position after welcoming some 6,257,000 Spanish tourists last year, half a million tourists more and nearly 10% above the 2019 figures.

"National travelers account for almost half of the tourism on the Costa and have generated an economic impact of over 6.7 million euros, almost 40% more than in 2019," Salado said.

Salado lashed out at the shortage of high-speed train arrivals to Malaga and called it "unacceptable and an insult compared to other destinations. In Malaga they have announced that they will increase the frequency to 13 from this month, which still means that they are below the fourteen they had in 2019".