Hoteliers in Costa del Sol’s Andalucia Expect Less Than Half Occupancy and Warn About the Risk of Cancellations

HOTELIERS in Costa del Sol and across Andalucia have estimated they will have less than half occupancy rates this summer and worry about the risk of cancellations due to high flight prices.

Luis Callejon, the President of the Andalucian Federation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations of Andalucia, has estimated that hotels will have an average of 40 per cent capacity this summer.

He warns that basing expectancy rates for tourism solely on hotel reservations is an unreliable way to measure interest. Callejon explains that “a majority [of hotel reservations] are being cancelled” due to increase of flight prices. He says that many tourists will book the hotel and then when they go to book the flight, they change their mind and cancel.

Higher flight prices are a logistical consequence of the coronavirus crisis. Given that there are fewer planes, companies will fill them with whoever wants to travel and with whoever is willing to pay a higher price. Many of those on flights are people who have a second residence or those who have been stuck abroad during the State of Alarm and want to return home.