Coming towards the end of what has undoubtedly been a bruising year for many, some room for hope is emerging in certain quarters.
We wrote recently on this blog about how “thermal tourism” is gaining traction among many people travelling from colder parts of Europe to save energy during the winter, at the same time as enjoying a much-needed Spanish holiday. And now, we have news of airlines having significantly bolstered their numbers of flights to and from the Costa del Sol this winter, to help keep up with demand.
More specifically, according to a report from SUR in English, 16.8% more seats have been made available on such flights compared to the same time of year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The data points to a regional tourist sector that has come roaring back
With each passing week and month, the lows of the coronavirus crisis are feeling more and more distant – for those who work in the Costa del Sol tourist industry, as well as for travellers.
The news outlet for southern Spain said that a total of 7.4 million flight seats had been made available for the period from 30th October until the end of March, underlining just how emphatically Málaga Airport has bounced back post-pandemic.
This winter alone will see some 43,834 flights, which is 13.6% more than was recorded for the low season in 2019, the last full year before the COVID-19 crisis hit Europe.
SUR in English reported that over the course of the next five months, the airport would be linked with 119 destinations via 192 routes. The country that recorded the highest number of air connections with Málaga was the UK, which accounted for 39 routes.
148 of the routes are for destinations around Europe, and the SUR in English article noted that “there are considerably more seats available this year on flights to and from the Netherlands, Italy, France, Denmark, and Ireland.”
Plentiful opportunities for Britons to get in on the action along the southern coast
Looking to the UK specifically, the Aena airports authority’s data shows that there will be more than 1.6 million seats on almost 8,500 flights to and from Málaga this winter.
Unsurprisingly, the capital – London – ranks highest in terms of the opportunities it presents for Britons to travel to the Costa del Sol this season, the number of seats compared to last year having gone up by 6%, and the number of flights (almost 4,000) having seen a 1% rise.
Has all the above whetted your appetite to browse the breadth and depth of options available for spending some off-time in Andalucia this winter? If so, we would be delighted to help make your break even easier at Simply Shuttles, by providing you with great-value and super-convenient Málaga Airport transfers to Benahavis, Marbella, Estepona, and other key locations.
Call +34 951 279 117 or email info@simply-shuttles.com to find out more about our service and prices.
