Tourism statisticsRegion2026

Costa del Sol Tourism Statistics: 659,408 Airbnb Stays

Q: How many tourists visit the Costa del Sol?

Spain as a whole had 93.8 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, according to UN Tourism, via Our World in Data. AirROI puts the Costa del Sol at 12.3% of Airbnb stays in Spain in the 12 months to October 2026. AirROI estimates 659,408 Airbnb stays in the Costa del Sol in the 12 months to October 2026, which counts bookings and not tourists.

Q: What is the quietest month in the Costa del Sol?

January was the quietest Airbnb month in the Costa del Sol in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and December ranked 11th. Stays in January were booked about 57 days ahead, against 99 days for August.

Q: How long is a typical Airbnb stay in the Costa del Sol?

A typical Airbnb stay in the Costa del Sol lasted 6.5 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 70 days ahead. That is longer than the worldwide 5.2 nights. By month, stays ran from 5.8 nights in September to 8.6 nights in January.

AirROI estimates 659,408 Airbnb stays in the Costa del Sol, in Andalusia, Spain, in the 12 months to October 2026, with Málaga the most booked town. The busiest month was August. All of Spain had 93.8 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, UN Tourism reports, via Our World in Data.

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou, Founder @ AirROI Updated November 4, 2026

Airbnb figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026. Read the method

Estimated Airbnb nights: 4,320,200
Typical Airbnb stay: 6.5 nights
Busiest Airbnb month: August
From abroad, among guests who left a review: 89%

Key facts

Costa del Sol Tourism Facts

Each sentence names its place, period and source, so it can be quoted alone.

Official

UN Tourism puts all of Spain at 93.8 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, via Our World in Data.

Airbnb stays

AirROI puts Airbnb stays in the Costa del Sol at 659,408 in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in the Costa del Sol added up to 4,320,200 nights in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates a typical Airbnb stay in the Costa del Sol lasted 6.5 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 70 days ahead.

Busiest months

AirROI ranks August the busiest Airbnb month in the Costa del Sol in the 12 months to October 2026, followed by July and September, with January the quietest.
AirROI estimates the six busiest Airbnb months in the Costa del Sol ran unbroken from May to October in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in the Costa del Sol in August were booked furthest ahead, about 99 days, against 56 days for March, in the 12 months to October 2026.

Guests

AirROI estimates 89% of Costa del Sol Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026 came from abroad, led by the United Kingdom at 21% and Germany at 9.3%.

By place

AirROI estimates the Costa del Sol took 12.3% of all Airbnb stays in Spain in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Málaga had the most Airbnb stays of the Costa del Sol's 21 towns in the 12 months to October 2026, at 265,010, ahead of Marbella and Benalmádena.

Official numbers

How Many Tourists Visit Spain?

UN Tourism counted 93.8 million international tourist arrivals for all of Spain in 2024, via Our World in Data. On AirROI's estimates, the Costa del Sol accounted for 12.3% of Airbnb stays in Spain in the 12 months to October 2026.

Official tourism figures for Spain: what each counts, its year and its publisher
Figure	What it counts	Year	Publisher
93.8 millionInternational tourist arrivals, all of Spain	Trips by visitors arriving from abroad who stay at least one night, each arrival counted separately	2024	UN Tourism, via Our World in Data

Airbnb stays

Airbnb Stays in the Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol had 33,507 Airbnb homes in the 12 months to October 2026. They took an estimated 659,408 stays and 4,320,200 nights. A typical stay lasted 6.5 nights and was booked about 70 days ahead, longer than the worldwide stay of 5.2 nights. AirROI's figures cover the 21 towns it tracks in the Costa del Sol; places it does not track are not counted, so every total is a floor.

Airbnb homes: 33,507
Airbnb stays, estimate: 659,408
Airbnb nights, estimate: 4,320,200
Typical stay: 6.5 nights
Booked ahead: 70 days

Busiest months

When Is the Busiest Time in the Costa del Sol?

On Airbnb, August was the busiest month in the Costa del Sol in the 12 months to October 2026, then July and September. January was the quietest. The six busiest months run unbroken from May to October.

August ranks first, January last

Airbnb months in calendar order, 12 months to October 2026. The number is the month's rank, and 1 is the busiest. The bar shows its part of Airbnb nights.

Three busiest months
Other months

From busiest to quietest: August, July, September, June, May, October, April, March, February, November, December, January.

Month by month: rank, typical stay and days booked ahead

Airbnb months in the Costa del Sol by rank, with share of nights, typical stay and days booked ahead, 12 months to October 2026
Rank	Month	Share of nights	Typical stay	Booked ahead
1	August	11.2%	6.5 nights	99 days
2	July	10.3%	7.4 nights	84 days
3	September	9.2%	5.8 nights	74 days
4	June	9.1%	6.1 nights	68 days
5	May	8.9%	6.1 nights	69 days
6	October	8.7%	6.3 nights	68 days
7	April	8.2%	6.0 nights	61 days
8	March	7.5%	6.7 nights	56 days
9	February	7.1%	8.1 nights	61 days
10	November	6.9%	6.5 nights	63 days
11	December	6.6%	6.0 nights	58 days
12	January	6.3%	8.6 nights	57 days

Share is each month's part of the year's Airbnb nights. Typical stay and days booked ahead are AirROI estimates for stays in each month.

Where guests come from

Where Do Costa del Sol Airbnb Guests Come From?

Among Costa del Sol Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, 89% came from abroad, led by the United Kingdom at 21% and Germany at 9.3%, AirROI estimates. Among the same guests, London was the top origin city at 3.3%, ahead of Madrid at 2.7%. The figures rest on 1,604,700 reviews, written over many years.

89% from abroad

Among guests who left a review, as of October 2026

Top countries abroad

Among guests who left a review

United Kingdom 21%
Germany 9.3%
France 8.4%
United States 6.5%

Top origin cities

Among guests who left a review

London 3.3%
Madrid 2.7%
Paris 1.3%

By town

Most Booked Towns in the Costa del Sol

Málaga, Marbella and Benalmádena took 61% of Airbnb stays in the Costa del Sol in the 12 months to October 2026. August is the busiest Airbnb month in all 21 towns. Among guests who left a review, the share from abroad across these towns runs from 69% in Algarrobo to 94% in La Cala de Mijas.

Most Booked Towns in the Costa del Sol: Airbnb stays, nights and typical stay, 12 months to October 2026; with origin among guests who left a review
#
1	Málaga	265,010	1,449,466	5.5 nights	91%	UK
2	Marbella	79,505	537,009	6.8 nights	92%	UK
3	Benalmádena	55,559	422,396	7.6 nights	87%	UK
4	Torremolinos	47,370	342,657	7.2 nights	85%	UK
5	Mijas	41,103	311,611	7.6 nights	91%	UK
6	Fuengirola	37,830	308,610	8.2 nights	83%	UK
7	Nerja	36,143	252,706	7.0 nights	89%	UK
8	Estepona	30,585	232,421	7.6 nights	90%	UK
9	Torrox	10,851	77,401	7.1 nights	79%	Spain
10	Vélez-Málaga	9,932	72,661	7.3 nights	75%	Spain
11	Rincón de la Victoria	8,036	53,234	6.6 nights	79%	Spain
12	Frigiliana	7,562	50,472	6.7 nights	91%	UK
13	Manilva	7,215	48,786	6.8 nights	78%	UK
14	Benahavís	5,419	39,028	7.2 nights	92%	UK
15	Casares	4,391	31,261	7.1 nights	83%	UK
16	Las Lagunas	3,553	26,066	7.3 nights	91%	UK
17	San Roque	3,430	21,894	6.4 nights	82%	UK
18	Ojén	2,026	14,314	7.1 nights	93%	Germany
19	Algarrobo	1,499	11,987	8.0 nights	69%	Spain
20	Sitio de Calahonda	1,462	9,625	6.6 nights	78%	Spain
21	La Cala de Mijas	927	6,597	7.1 nights	94%	UK

* Among guests who left a review. Stays, nights and other figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, and cover Airbnb only. A town with no tourism page of its own links to its Airbnb market page.

FAQ

Questions About Tourism in the Costa del Sol

How many tourists visit the Costa del Sol?

Spain as a whole had 93.8 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, according to UN Tourism, via Our World in Data. AirROI puts the Costa del Sol at 12.3% of Airbnb stays in Spain in the 12 months to October 2026. AirROI estimates 659,408 Airbnb stays in the Costa del Sol in the 12 months to October 2026, which counts bookings and not tourists.

When is high season in the Costa del Sol?

The busiest Airbnb month in the Costa del Sol in the 12 months to October 2026 was August, then July and September. The six busiest months run from May to October.

What is the quietest month in the Costa del Sol?

January was the quietest Airbnb month in the Costa del Sol in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and December ranked 11th. Stays in January were booked about 57 days ahead, against 99 days for August.

How long is a typical Airbnb stay in the Costa del Sol?

A typical Airbnb stay in the Costa del Sol lasted 6.5 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 70 days ahead. That is longer than the worldwide 5.2 nights. By month, stays ran from 5.8 nights in September to 8.6 nights in January.

Where do Airbnb guests in the Costa del Sol come from?

Of Costa del Sol Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, 89% came from abroad, AirROI estimates. The largest groups were the United Kingdom at 21% and Germany at 9.3%. Among the same guests, the top origin city was London at 3.3%, ahead of Madrid at 2.7%.

What is the most booked town in the Costa del Sol on Airbnb?

Málaga was the most booked town in the Costa del Sol on Airbnb, with an estimated 265,010 stays in the 12 months to October 2026, ahead of Marbella and Benalmádena.

Are Airbnb stays the same as tourists?

No. UN Tourism counts international tourist arrivals (93.8 million in 2024 across Spain). An Airbnb stay is one booking on one platform, however many guests it holds. AirROI's 659,408 stays are estimates for the 12 months to October 2026.

Method

How These Numbers Are Made

Official figures come from their publishers, linked above, and were last checked in November 2026. Stays and nights are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, built from Airbnb listing data, and cover Airbnb only. Nights add up each town's stays times its typical stay, across 21 towns. Month ranks compare each month's part of Airbnb nights. Origin rests on 1,604,700 reviews and describes guests who left a review, not everyone who stayed. Read the method page.