A major airport in a region of Spain beloved by British holidaymakers has seen a steep increase in passengers, despite recent protests by locals against overtourism. Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport, located 8km southwest of Malaga and 5km north of Torremolinos, is one of the busiest international airports in Spain, and the main flight hub for the Costa del Sol region.
Located along the coastline of Málaga province and the eastern part of Campo de Gibraltar in Cádiz, the region has long been a go-to destination for sunseekers, particularly from the UK and Germany. But in recent months, a wave of anti-tourism protests has erupted in various Spanish cities, including Malaga, with residents blaming visitors for the rising day-to-day costs and spikes in the price of accommodation.
However, new figures suggest tourists are undeterred by frustration from residents, with the airport handling a whopping 2,862,372 passengers in August.
This was across a record-high 19,286 different flights, according to airport operator Aena, which says the figures represent the travel hub’s best August ever.
The increase in passengers represents a 7.9% rise on the same period last year, the firm says.
Britons continue to make up the lions’ share of the tourism market, with the airport seeing just under 700,000 passengers from the UK passing through the airport last month, as reported by The Olive Press.
The other top markets included Germany (213,215), France (168,392), the Netherlands (159,961), Italy (140,884), Belgium (101,696), Poland (86,584), and Morocco (83,404).
Tourism is a major pillar of Spain’s economy, and while some residents in cities across Spain like Barcelona, Ibiza and Majorca, have taken to the streets to protest the heaving crowds, demonstrators have insisted they aren’t opposed to tourism in general.
During protests in June, one demonstrator told BBC News: “Our goal is not to stop tourism, because it’s also good, but to have it at a normal rate.”
National and local authorities have launched various other measures to address the housing crisis.
For example, Barcelona announced plans last year to phase out the 10,000 apartments licensed for short-term rentals by 2028 to provide more housing for permanent residents, and Malaga has introduced bans on registering new holiday rentals in some parts of the city.
The Spanish government has also proposed curbs like a 100% tax on property purchases by non-EU residents.
