Costa del Sol’s winter revolution

HOTELS have tripled their winter investment this year as the Costa del Sol embarks on an ambitious modernisation plan. So far more than €67 million has been spent renovating hotels during the quieter low season. Hotels across the Costa del Sol have now spent well over €100 million in the past two years to cement the Costa’s glowing reputation in a bold new era.

The extravagant expense comes amid warnings that the region shouldn’t count its chickens after a record-breaking and hugely prosperous 2016. The small print of that success pointed to terrorism in chaos in traditional rivals Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt.

As such the investment reflects a realisation that the Costa del Sol must stay ahead of the curve if it is to grow, both economically and culturally. An appreciation that customer service and clean, efficient infrastructure is necessary to attract a different breed of tourist has finally dawned on the powers that be.

Another key part of the plans is finally breaking the curse of ‘seasonality’ which continues to thwart financial success and tourist numbers during the winter.

With golf, museums and cultural offerings, winter on the Costa del Sol is, however, becoming shorter and shorter. Many hotels now expect to be booked up from March right through to November.