Hotel managers at the Costa del Sol satisfied with this year's figures

Hotel managers at the Costa del Sol are satisfied with the 2007 Summer Season in spite of the reduction of the average time spent by tourists.

The president of the Spanish Hotel's Association in the Costa del Sol (AEHCOS), Salvador Vilches, said that the summer “has gone well” and that it is expected that August will end with an average occupation superior to 88 percent.

The reduction of the average stay time of tourists at the Costa del Sol has been compensated with a greater number of clients, who are choosing to spend more money in activities and restaurants outside the hotels.

Most of the tourists lodged in July and August in hotels at the Costa del Sol have been Spanish nationals from Andalucia, Madrid, Catalonia and Extremadura.

Vilches trusted that September will also be a good month for this tourist zone, since every year is becoming “a more attractive” month, and remembered that last year's occupation during September went over 80 percent.

As far as the competition, he said that all the destinies are competing with the Costa del Sol “because they are cheaper”. Among them, he mentioned Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Croatia or Morocco.

To face this competitors, “the challenge is to provide a good service, instead of trying to offer cheaper prices”, assured the president of AEHCOS.

He also stressed the importance of promotional campaigns in traditional foreign markets, such as the British and German, as well as the Nordic, Italian and other from emergent countries like Rumania, Bulgaria or Poland.