4.1. Present and future of the eight provinces of Andalusia in tourism industry
It is important to understand the different characteristics of eight provinces of Andalusia to analyse their tourism promotion budgets and results to establish appropriate planning, management, and design of joint marketing strategies in the future. Different marketing strategies should be developed to attract tourists with different characteristics [
128], a collaborative approach to attraction planning could be beneficial to all types of cultural attractions and capitalize on their spending patterns in the Andalusia region [
129]. For instance, Huelva, Cádiz, Málaga, Granada, and Almería are tourist destinations focused primarily on sun and beach and gastronomy activities because of their excellent beaches and location, but Málaga perfectly combines sun and beach and urban tourism as an added tourist attraction thanks to its more than 20 museums, Málaga cathedral, Malaga’s Roman theatre, the Alcazaba fortress, amongst many others.
Most international tourists have a huge misconception of Andalusia and its eight provinces, they think that these cities only offer sun and beach tourism, but they are totally wrong, possibly because of DMO’s of Andalusia have not been well promoted the most varied tourism offer in the last years. Andalusia’s destination does not mean only the beach, its wealth comes from different tourist activities that allow tourists to enjoy the environmental diversity of the region. Andalusia and its eight provinces are a multi-space that brings together all the classifications of tourist activities because each province has its own peculiarities.
Notwithstanding, Seville, Córdoba, and Jaén are tourist destinations focused on monumental, cultural, and urban tourism, and cynegetic and rural tourism in the case of Jaén province. These three cities have not beaches. We must stress the importance of Granada city as part of monumental and cultural, thanks to the Alhambra of Granada monument, and its historical context in the history of Spain. The diversification of products and services is a deseasonalisation tool, but also a strategy recommended for tourist destinations, particularly in cultural tourism [
83,
84]. The elements that tourists value most in connection with the image of Andalusia are the destinations that specialize in products of rural, nature, and culture tourism [
130]. The following shows the analysis and results from each Andalusian province in alphabetical order.
Figure 4 displays the seven indicators of Almería tourist destination, being the tourism promotion budget (€) the most important variable in this study, this is shown in the black solid line, and the remaining six constructs are shown in percentage year-on-years, due to the tourism promotion budget is assigned each year by local governments, and so we can analyse together the evolution of tourism promotion and rest of variables for each year.
Tourism promotion budget (€).
Number of passenger arrivals at Andalusia’s airports.
Number of tourist (national and international).
Hotel occupancy rate.
Overnight stays at hotels by Spanish tourists.
Overnight stays at hotels by international tourists.
Total overnight stays at hotels (national and international).
Almería: In the last thirteen years the number of hotels decreased by –6.7%, and the number of hotel beds increased by 30% due to the construction of new 10 hotels along the coast of Almeria in recent years. This moderate drop in the number of hotels is a consequence of the pandemic crisis during 2020 and 2021, and this period of uncertainly paralyzed the growth of tourism and aviation activities in all terms. This problem is a constant in Andalusia and its eight provinces between 2020 and 2022, for this reason, sometimes we compare all data in both years 2021 and 2022, in comparison with 2019 in this study, due to the pandemic crisis has stopped the positive evolution of tourism industry at Andalusia and around the world in 2020. Furthermore, the average stay of tourist fell by –8.8% during the period analysed. Conversely, the average daily spending by tourist increased by 26.5% in this period, a tourism supply based on the quality rather than quantity of number of tourists can improve the tourist’s expenditure at destination. The main economic activities in the city of Almería are horticulture and tourism industries, Almería is known as ‘The orchard of Europe’.
Almería’s tourism promotion budgets positively increased the quality and quantity promotion campaigns through digital channels, especially between 2020 and 2022 the budget of tourism promotion was duplicated to reverse the situation of the pandemic and recover tourist flow and trade in Almería city. The increase of the budget in these three years helped to stimulate the tourism demand, and this was very beneficial to get the tourism industry back on its feet in 2022. This same year, the hotel occupancy rate (14%), overnight stays (51%), and stay-night by international and national tourists by 157% and 49%, these three indicators were benefited by the remarkable increase in the number of passenger arrivals by 121% (700 thousand passengers) at Almería’s airport (see
Figure 4), but this figure is still very far from 1 million passengers in 2019. The International Almería Antonio de Torres airport, IATA [
131] code is (LEI) is a secondary and strategy airport that provide air accessibility and connectivity in the eastern zone of Andalusia.
Since the beginning of the pandemic and declared by World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020, its impact and effects on tourism and aviation industries have been bewildering and dramatic in all terms, particularly in eight destinations of Andalusia which is highly dependent on tourism industry. In order to restore the tourism and aviation industries in these eight cities, in 2021 Andalusia’s DMO promoted its eight provinces in eight European countries (Portugal, Ireland, UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Italy, and France), through digital channels (social media, YouTube, TV, amongst many others), food demonstrations, shopping malls, sporting events, World Travel Market, ITB Berlin, amongst many others. These eight source markets represent close to 40% of total stays in Andalusian hotel establishments and around 70% of overnight stays made exclusively by international travellers [
112].
A promotion campaign named ‘Andalucía wants you back’, helped to encourage the potential tourist to return to Andalusia once the mobility restrictions were overcome (see
Figure 5). This marketing strategy and many others through traditional and digital channels empowered the brand image of eight provinces of Andalusia worldwide and helped to recover the tourism industry in these eight cities in 2021 (see
Figure 6). For instance, in 2022 the Andalusian destination received 50 million tourists a 66.5% more than last year, that is, 5,4 million national tourists and 14,7 million international tourists more than in the year 2021. However, although the 50 million tourists are a good number, this figure is fewer than 55 million tourists that received the Andalusian destination in 2019. It is clear from findings that the pandemic had a significant impact on the aviation and hospitality industry and altered and has disrupted tourism demand forces in Andalusian tourist destinations [
132,
133].
Cádiz: Cádiz is a coastal town in Andalusia, and the last thirteen years tourism has grown because of the beaches, historical and artistic heritage sightseeing, carnivals, and year-round cruise ship tourism [
134]. The number of hotels increased by 3.8% from 2010 to 2019. However, as mentioned above, the effects of the pandemic crisis provoked the closing of numerous hotels throughout Andalusia. Nevertheless, in 2022 the number of hotels decreased by –3% and the number of hotel beds was by –1% in comparison with 2010, this data shows the recovery of tourism industry in Almería destination. Indeed, the average stay of tourist fell by –10.4% in 2022 if we compare with 2010. Although, the average daily spending by tourist has not stopped growing in Cádiz, Almería, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, and Málaga until 2022. the rest of provinces such as Jaén, and Seville saw reduced the average daily spending by tourist over the period considered. In the case of the province of Cádiz, the average daily spending by tourist reached its peak at 84,5 euros during the period covered by this study.
Regarding the tourism promotion budgets, these have fluctuated over the last thirteen years, and the year 2020 became the year with the largest economical budget (6 million euros) in tourism promotion (see
Figure 7), with the aim of recovering the tourism flow lost by the pandemic crisis and passenger arrivals fall by –80.7% in 2020, and –61% in 2021 in comparison with 2019 in the airport of Jerez (IATA: XRY), that is, 1,6 million passengers in two years, too much lost tourists for Cádiz economy that depends mainly on tourism sector. Surprisingly, in 2022 the hotel occupancy rate increased by 14%, number of tourists (17%), overnight stays (42%), stay-night by international and national tourists by 127% and 46% respectively, and passenger arrivals by 108% (900 thousand passengers), but a –18% passengers in comparison 2019. These results reveal a positive tourism and air transport trend since 2020 in the province of Almería. Overall, Almería’s tourism promotion budgets and campaigns have helped to revitalize tourism demand and supply between 2021 and 2022, this data must be analysed within a national and international context of pandemic crisis, war, and an economic uncertainty, all of them have directly affected the tourism and air transport industries.
Promotion tourism campaigns through digital channels as a channel of marketing have opened a new direct distribution form between tourism suppliers and final consumers, where intermediaries are not needed, and it is favouring an increased concentration in the tourist sector [
135]. We must remember the high correlation between passenger arrivals at airports and tourists, given that 75 percent of tourist arrivals to Spain are through airports. This is why the tourism promotion strategy is so important to promote marketing campaigns in the specific target markets, to stimulate tourism demand, and trying to reach a maximum of flow tourist that ensures the sustainability of the tourism industry at destinations. In 2020, all indicators experienced negatives rates due to the pandemic crisis, but these indicators considerably improved thanks to tourism promotion campaigns and the gradual lifting of restrictions on COVID-19’s measures of security and hygiene.
Cádiz is highly dependent on sun and beach tourism by national and international tourists, and they essentially interested in coastal tourism. In 2014, this province recorded 2,092,818 stay-night visitors, two thirds being national and one third international visitors [
136], but in 2020 and the stay-night by international tourists was the most affected variable (–82.1%) by the pandemic crisis, as we can see in
Figure 7. From a management and strategic point of view, the pandemic has been a disruptive and positive point to revaluate and improve the operability of hotels by managers. Hotel operators need to implement new commercial strategies to tackle the new challenges facing the hospitality industry. For example, Tan [
137] suggests that the implementation of communication strategies to enhance consumers’ environmental knowledge is important for the growth and success of green hotels. An efficient communication campaign is important when companies want to attract new customers and maintain the existing ones [
138].
Córdoba: This province is a city with an enormous heritage of culture and monuments, and its main tourist attractive is the Great Mosque of Córdoba and the Palace of the Caliphs Medina Al-Zahara, these have been the cover of many promotion campaigns worldwide, and the Córdoba’s official website of tourism. The number of hotels decreased by –0.6%, and the number of hotel beds increased by 10.3% in the period analysed. In 2020, the overnight stays at hotels by international tourists fell three times more than the Spanish’s overnight stays at hotels in Córdoba (see
Figure 8), this city is focused on cultural and gastronomic tourism. From 2018 to 2022, the tourism promotion budgets were an average of 1,1 million euros, and these served to give an effective response to the pandemic crisis. The background of continuing economic uncertainty which resulted from COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 provoked that Andalusia and its eight provinces increase their economic budgets in tourism promotion to stimulate the demand, boots and position the brand image of Córdoba around the world.
An added problem for this city is that the Córdoba airport (IATA: ODB) is not being exploited as a tourist airport by AENA Group. Spanish airports are managed by a central authority named AENA, a government-owned company. The Córdoba airport is focused on passenger charter flights, military flights, agricultural treatment companies, aerial photographs, and other aerial work [
63]. The variable of passenger arrivals through Córdoba airport has fluctuated greatly in the last 13 years. There was no response by airport operator and Córdoba’s DMO to improve the number of passenger arrivals at airport, or even the opening of new routes and new frequencies, generating an increase in the net volume of passengers. Most international tourists visiting this city coming from Málaga and Seville airports. Obviously, the Córdoba airport should be better managed by AENA operator and promoted by Córdoba’s DMO as an accessible secondary airport to visit the city of Córdoba. The quality of management by airport and tourism operators affects the efficiency and effectiveness in the utilization of scarce resources.
The Córdoba’s tourism industry was severely damaged in 2020, especially in the number tourists which decreased by –67%, and, therefore, decrease the overnight stays by –67% with previous year, the overnight stay at hotels by Spanish tourists a –59%, the overnight stay at hotels by international tourists a –80%, and the hotel occupancy rate was by –42.4%. The data for 2020 revealed extremely difficult production and marketing conditions in tourism industry globally, requiring supplementary aid by national and regional governments to stimulate tourism and aviation demand through tourism promotion budgets in economic and advertising terms. Nonetheless, in 2021 and 2022 results display that all indicators examined grew exponentially, except for the number of passenger arrivals by –62% due to the management of this airport in non-commercial activities. Córdoba’s tourism promotion budgets and campaigns has steadily grown, increasing from 32% in 2017 to 61% in 2022 compared to the year 2017. For instance, in 2022 the hotel occupancy rate increased by 37.5%, and overnight stays at hotels by international and Spanish tourists a 140% and a 32% more than in the previous year. Results show the pick-up of tourism activity in the city of Córdoba, and a new record in the average daily spending by tourist, reaching a total of 72,6 euros in 2022.
Granada: This city is very attractive in cultural and sun and beach activities for national and international tourists. This combines cultural tourism with its monumental Alhambra building, it is a beautiful complex of buildings and gardens, and its beaches localized in the Costa Tropical. All this, together with a gastronomy made with the typical food of the zone. Indeed, the main aim of Granada’s DMO is to make the province's attractions known worldwide so that the number of visitors in cultural, and sun and beach tourism activities through international tourist fairs, international tourist conferences, promotional campaigns through digital channels in Spain, European countries, amongst many other activities [
139]. Andalusian cities use their historical heritage to lure tourism and thus boost their economies such as Granada, Córdoba, or Seville have made a big effort to embellish themselves and attract an increasing number of tourists [
140].
The tourism promotion budgets of Granada have remained around 2,5 million euros every year, except 2010 with 3,4 million euros, this year the arrival of passengers decreased by –17.6% with previous year, but the rest of variables increased the rate of growth. There is a positive evolution of the occupancy hotel rate from 2010 to 2019, but this indicator decreased by –41.3% in 2020 in comparison with 2019. In addition, in 2021 all indicators showed a positive development in 2021, although these positive data did not reach the levels of 2019. Granada’s DMO must promote its tourism products and services through digital channels like social media and international digital newspapers such as The Guardian, New York Times, Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, De Volkskrant, La Republica, Verdens Gang, amongst many others. Many studies mention the significant impact of the information published on social media on consumer preferences, since social media data can be used to analyze the image of a tourist destination and management tourism products and services in the city of Granada [
141].
Furthermore, the number of hotels has been significantly reduced by –11.5% in the last thirteen years, and the average stay of tourist was also reduced by –18.9. Nevertheless, the number of beds increased by 21.6%, and the average daily spending a 1.4% within the set period 8see Figure. This data is quite worrying and for now, this generates far more doubts than certainties in the future of the Granada’s tourism industry. DMO and stakeholders should ask themselves why this happening, are we serving the needs of tourists? Are we using the proper promotion channels? Are we offering tourist packages according to our market segments?; Are we planning the opening of new air routes to increase the number of tourists?, or Why are tourists spending less money in our destination?
A stark imbalance in the variable of Granada-Jaén airport’s passenger arrivals is shown in
Figure 9, the Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén airport (IATA: GRX), it is a secondary airport and is localized in the city of Granada. This airport is focused on commercial flights and air cargo, although its offer of commercial flights is quite limited. Like the city of Córdoba, most international tourists visiting this city coming from Málaga and Seville destinations. This airport is strategically shared between the city of Granada and Jaén to make more accessible these two provinces, but unfortunately this strategic airport is not achieving the results hoped by airport operator and these two cities. Results show that the number of passenger arrivals at Granada-Jaén airport grew by 81 per cent, the number of tourists by 13 per cent, hotel occupancy rate by 13 per cent, overnight stays by 74 per cent, and stay-night by international and national tourists by 144 per cent and 35 per cent respectively in 2022. These data confirm the restoration of the tourism and air transport sectors in the province of Granada and supported by an increase of 20 per cent to the 2022 tourism promotion budget.
Huelva: It is a coastal city, and a very popular holiday resort for British people and European tourists. This is localised in Western Andalusia, exactly in the Costa de la Luz area. The tourism sector is the most important activity for the province of Huelva, and it requires the assistance of highly qualified workers in hotels and restaurants, which are taught at universities of Andalusia [
142]. With the regard to the number of hotels decreased by -6.9% over the last thirteen years, a -9.2% the number of hotel beds, and the average stay of tourists has fluctuated in negative terms, especially in 2022 with 6,3 days of average stay by tourist. In the period of pandemic, 60% of national tourists were from Andalusia, encouraged by initiatives such as the tourist voucher. A tourism voucher for residents in Andalusia, and they benefited from a two-night discount in an Andalusian accommodation with the ‘Andalucía Segura’ label [
143]. This is one reasons why the hotel occupancy rate does not have suffered severely the impact of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Aguado-Correa et al. [
144] revealed that the revitalization of the hotel business will go together with the adoption of strategies that instil confidence in potential customers through promotional campaigns, the official websites of the hotel establishments. and posted on their Facebook and Twitter platforms. In 2000 mass tourism stimulated the development of hotels in Huelva, and Andalusia and Huelva’s DMOs developed marketing and branding activities through tourism promotion that helped to grow tourism industry in this territory [
145].
The tourism promotion budgets of the province of Huelva have constantly remained in the period analysed, except in 2020 with 4,4 million euros to combat the pandemic crisis, and the drop in the national and international tourist arrivals. The city of Huelva does not have its own airport like the rest of provinces, most international tourist arrivals came from Portugal, Francia, Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark, and the Netherlands [
116], and the nearest airports to Huelva’s city are the Faro International airport (IATA: FAO) in Portugal, Seville, Jerez, and Málaga airports in Andalusia. During the pandemic crisis, the overnight stay at hotels by international tourists fell by –87.2%, but in 2021 and 2022 this was the largest growth in percentage terms 133% and 177% respectively in comparison with the other variables (see
Figure 10), but this exponential growth did not help to improve the tourist’s average daily spending, in fact, this was reduced by –3.1% in comparison with 2021.
This tourist destination manages very well the national and international tourism flows. For example, in 2020 the national tourism was the main visitor in Huelva, and the overnight stay at hotels by Spanish tourists declined by –53.6%, this was less affected than the overnight stay at hotels by international tourists with a –87.2%. Nevertheless, in 2022 was all the opposite as we mentioned previously, most indicators examined in this province had a remarkable growth, for example, the number of tourists increased by 1,2 million tourists, the overnight stay at hotels by international and national tourists grew by 735 and 840 thousand overnights. In 2020, DMO’s Huelva increased the tourism promotion budget by 163% to recovery tourism demand, and its result was satisfactory in all terms in the years 2021 and 2022. Huelva’s promotion campaigns are focused on the climate benefits, gastronomy, sun and beach activities, and the National Park of Doñana to attract international and national tourists [
146].
Jaén: Much of the global olive oil production comes from the rural areas of Jaén in northern Andalusia. Jaén is the Andalusian province that attracts the lowest number of tourists [
57], it is quite difficult to consider the tourism industry as a viable alternative for Jaén’s local economic development. Its main economic activity is the production of olive oil, and recently this city is focusing on oleo-tourism managed by local actors which are offering new opportunities in the tourism industry of this territory [
147,
148], combined with the cynegetic tourism, a sustainable and well-planned tourism activity by DMO of Jaén for more than 30 years. Rural areas and towns in Jaén such as Sierra Cazorla, Sierra de Segura, La Loma, Ubeda, Baeza, and Andújar provide a full and diverse experience based on local resources and heritage. The tourism promotion budgets have been considerably constrained in the period analysed, and tourism promotion campaigns through digital channels were very limited, and this affected the positioning of the brand image of Jaén and the tourist destination.
During the period established of this study, the number of hotels decreased by –12.2%, most of them are rural hotels, and the number of hotel beds a –9.4%. In addition, the average stay of tourists was reduced by –29.8% (from 3,7 days to 2,6 days) in the last thirteen years, and the average daily spending by tourist fell by –7.6%. In 2020, the province of Jaén was the most resilient by pandemic crisis in the hotel occupancy rate (–31.4%) because most hotels are focused on rural hotels and their main clients are Spanish tourists. Foreign tourism fell by –51.2% in 2020, and this dragged the overnight stay at hotels by international tourists by –76.2% [
149]. This data is extremely important for evaluations and future tourism planning by Jaén’s DMO, airport operators, and the rest of tourism stakeholders at all levels.
Like in Granada, these data are quite worrying for Jaén’s DMO, airport operator, and stakeholders. As we mentioned previously, the Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén airport (IATA: GRX), this a secondary airport and this is localized in the city of Granada, but this airport is shared by both cities. They should ask themselves why this happening with tourism and aviation sectors, and how they can improve and stimulate tourism demand in their territories. For example, they must design joint national and international promotion campaigns with Andalucian and Spanish governments (turismoandaluz.com and spain.info) through digital channels to stage the new products and services in oleo-tourism activity. Olive groves, mills, and shops are updating their facilities to provide tours, tastings, and education about olive oil, where visitors can taste, learn, and experience olive oil culture in action.
In 2020, the passenger arrivals fall by –68.8%, and tourists –55.2% at airport and the city, and this situation destabilized the fragile tourism industry of Jaén, and hence reduced the overnight stay at hotels by international tourists by –76.2%, as it is shown in
Figure 11. Ignoring the effects of COVID-19, in 2022 all data seem slipped back into business as usual, particularly the increase of number of tourists by 3.2% (985 thousand tourists), the overnight stay at hotels by Spanish tourists by 18.7%, the overnight stay at hotels by international tourists with a 123%, and overnight stays a 41.1%. This positive trend indicates that recovery of the tourism industry was taking place, but these figures are still very far from data in 2019. These results suggest that DMOs’ tourism promotion budgets should be increased to revitalise tourism demand and supply and reorient tourism promotion to its target audience, to encourage tourists to stay longer in the city of Jaén and spend more money. In this same line, Pulido-Fernández et al. [
150] claim that Huelva’s DMO need to develop marketing strategies and tourism promotion campaigns of tourist products focused on each type of tourist, especially through advertising, OTAs, and social media.
Málaga: Since the 1970s, this province is the Mecca of tourism in Andalusia and possibly in Spain. The municipalities of Torremolinos and Marbella are the greatest landmarks, these two destinations are the most visited by national and international tourists in Andalusia region. One of the most important key factors of Málaga as an international tourist destination has been the Málaga Costa del Sol airport (IATA: AGP), the accessibility and connectivity worldwide that this airport provides to the city triggered the planning and organization of tourism development in this city. ‘The new terminal building and the new runway of Málaga airport attracted additional international tourists, especially those flying with low-cost carriers’ [
151]. Nowadays, this airport has become a multifunctional airport, and claim of establishment of large national and international companies such as Google, Amazon, Oracle, Vodafone, Virus Total, Deloitte, DHL, amongst many others [
62,
152]. Local government is focused on technology and logistical sectors, to reduce the high dependency in tourism industry, and the seasonality of this sector that do so much damage to the population in low season.
For instance, in 2020 the Málaga Costa del Sol airport (IATA code is AGP) in Andalusia saw just 5,2 million passengers pass through its terminal, a drop of −74% year-on-year [
62,
63,
111]. Consequently, in 2020 this drastic fall in passenger arrivals at Málaga airport impacted on hotel occupancy rate by –46.7% of Málaga city in comparison with 2019. In addition, this same year the city of Málaga dramatically received only 3,5 million tourists, a drop of −67% in comparison with the previous year, that is, in one single year more than 14 million passengers and tourists stopped coming to the city of Málaga according to Institute of Statistics and Cartography of Andalusia [
67,
111,
115,
116], and a −51% in 2021 compared to the data for 2019 (27 million passengers and tourists did not stay in hotels and they did not visit the city of Málaga). These results are very detrimental to the Málaga economy since it is highly dependent on the tourism sector.
The city of Málaga has the greatest number of hotels, and number of hotel beds in Andalusia, and its extensive tourist, cultural, leisure, and adventure offer make it very attractive to visit by tourists. In 2020, the number of hotels decreased by –40% and number of beds a –45.2% by the effects of pandemic crisis, data never seen historically. As we mentioned previously, the consequences of pandemic crisis provoked the sale of a large number of hotels in Andalusia, especially in Málaga where most hotels are concentrated. Sánchez and Cañas [
153] reported that more than 80% of hotels on the Málaga beachfront in 2020 closed.
Surprisingly, this same year the average stay of tourists increased to 10,4 days in comparison with 2019 (9,2 days), possibly this data was measured on hotels opened, and the closed hotels were not counted. Nevertheless, the closure and sell of hotels in this destination reduced the average stays of tourists to 8,3 days in 2021, but the number of hotels increased by 22% and number of beds a 27% in comparison with 2019. Furthermore, between 2020 and 2021 the number of tourists fell considerably –65.7% and –48% if we compare with 2019, that is, 12 million tourists did not visit the city of Málaga, too much lost tourists for Málaga economy that depends mainly on the tourism industry. This is the main reason why the local government and Málaga’s DMOs is diversifying the production structures in this territory. Regarding to the average daily spending of tourist has continued to grow in the last thirteen years. In 2010 the average expenditure per tourist and per day was of 47,4 euros, in 2022 this increased by 71,3 euros.
Figure 12 displays the hotel occupancy rate has fluctuated until the period 2019 with 1.6%, in 2020 and 2021 respectively decreased –46.7% and –24.5% in comparison with 2019 by the impact of the pandemic. The rest of variables examined had a positive direction in 2021, especially the overnight stay at hotels by Spanish tourists by 109%, the overnight stay at hotels by international tourists with a 90.6%, and overnight stays a 99.6% with previous years. Overall, 2022 was better than 2021 in absolute terms, the number of passengers increased by 9,6 million, the number of tourists grew by 3 million, the overnight stay at hotels by international and Spanish tourists 8 million overnights and 500 thousand overnights, and overnight stays 20 million. These figures were benefited by tourism promotion campaigns developed by DMO’s Málaga in 2012, where DMO launched a tourist campaign titled ‘Málaga, where better?’ in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom, activating a strategic action in these key markets, designed to promote Málaga city as a safe tourist destination, and kickstart once again the tourist activity of the German, British and Nordic markets, these three important market segments dropped drastically during the pandemic.
This marketing campaign provoked that the number of passenger arrivals at Málaga airport experienced a notable growth in the years 2021 (72%), and 2022 (108%) in comparison with 2021, although in 2020 this was practically inactive due to the COVID-19 pandemic (see
Figure 12). However, data from 2021 and 2022 by number of passenger arrivals did not reach the figures for 2019. Transportation infrastructure connects regions and promotes regional economic development. Airports influence total arrivals at touristic accommodations, including guests from domestic and abroad [
154,
155]. The recovery of the tourism and aviation industries in the province of Málaga has required a great effort by Málaga’s DMO, the Junta de Andalucía, AENA operator, and stakeholders. Mass tourism has helped to recover Andalusian tourist destinations in the period of the pandemic crisis. Nevertheless, under the need to make the tourist destinations sustainable in the future, DMOs created tourism campaigns to transform the tourist product making that marketing strategies have been more efficient [
11].
In the last three years, the tourism promotion budgets have had an exponential growth to stimulate tourism demand and position the Málaga’s destination worldwide at national and international tourist fairs, international tourist conferences, promotional campaigns through digital channels in Spain, UK, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Portugal, USA, China, and Japan countries, amongst many other activities. Barke and Newton [
156] found that promoting sustainable tourism in an urban context like Málaga city improve the quality of tourism supply and demand. One of the advantages of the province of Málaga is the diversity of places it has.
For instance, a benchmark of tourism promotion campaign worldwide, and one of Andalusia’s top attractions is ‘
El Caminito del Rey’ in the city of Málaga. This is a nature and adventure activity and a narrow hiking path known for its nearly two miles stretch of man-made boardwalks and glass footbridges that hug the sides of sheer cliffs and hang over river gorges (see
Figure 13). In 2015, this tourist attraction was opened to the public, but before the opening ceremony, Andalusia and Málaga’s DMO designed several promotion campaigns through digital channels like social media, digital newspapers around the world, Online Travel Agency websites, target markets’ tourism official websites, World Travel Market, ITB Berlin, amongst many others. Since then, if the tourist wants to visit ‘
El Caminito del Rey’ attraction, he/she needs to book early since the number of entries is limited, and the demand of tourists to visit this adventure activity is very high.
Seville: Tourism represents about 11 % of the GDP in the economy of Seville. The tourism industry in the province of Seville constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of the economic, social, and cultural progress activities. Seville's importance lies not only in its plentiful monumental and artistic heritage, but also in the rest of the characteristics of the city that come together to form the tourist product like accommodations, museums, tourist attractions, infrastructures, shops, catering, and recreational areas [
158]. As stated by Moragas [
159] ‘selling the past in its different forms is one of the principal claims of tourist marketing’. The city of Seville has been able to adapt to the needs of the 21st century by diversifying its tourist offering as consumer interests evolve, including business, gastronomic, shopping, river, golf, and idiomatic tourism activities.
One of its main assets is the Seville airport (IATA: SVQ) also known as San Pablo airport, an aerodrome with an open business model, to combine passengers, air cargo and above all it offers aeronautical companies and airlines logistical support. It has diversified its airport business model excellently and this is now achieving good results [
67]. The evolution of passenger arrivals in this airport has had its ups and downs (see
Figure 14), AENA operator and Seville’s DMO did not reach a passenger arrival flows that help to project better the tourism industry in this territory in efficiency and sustainable terms. For instance, in 2018 joint marketing strategies between Seville airport and DMO reached an extraordinary achievement, this airport had the largest growth in number of passengers by 24.9% across Europe, within the framework of airports between 5 and 10 million passengers [
160].
Nevertheless, after 2019 the number of passenger arrivals dropped once again. Although, in 2021 and 2022 the number of passenger arrivals grew by 48.7% and 97%. Consequently, the evolution of the number of tourists substantially improved by 66.6% (1 million tourists) and 207.6% (3 million tourists) in comparison with 2020. Indeed, the number of passenger arrivals at Seville airport increased by 2.9% compared to the year 2019. Moreover, results show the positive progression of all indicators in the
Figure 14, particularly especially the overnight stay at hotels by international tourists with a 170%, overnight stays a 92.1%, and the hotel occupancy rate with a 48% in comparison with 2021. In addition, the number hotels increased by 15.5% and number of beds by 22.5 in the period analysed. Although, the tourist’s average daily spending decreased by –4.5% in the last thirteen years.
Results display the reduction of Seville’s tourism promotion budgets from 2010 to 2019, but like the rest of the Andalusian provinces, in 2020 Seville’s DMO had to increase the tourism promotion budget by 38.4% (4,4 million euros) to recover the tourism demand and supply, and results have been quite favourable for 2021 and 2022. Findings show that most Andalusian provinces increased the tourism promotion budgets in 2020, and these obtained very satisfactory results in all indicators examined. It is important to note that the results of tourism promotional campaigns by DMOs do not have immediate impact on countries where these marketing campaigns were promoted. Results of promotion campaigns are analysed and measured the year after in economic, tourism, and passenger terms to measure the return on investment (ROI). The tourism promotion campaigns help add value to the characteristics in the products and services that provide companies, or even the city’s tourism supply. For instance, flamenco tourism is a high value subsegment in which the value per tourist is around one third above the average figure, and this type of tourism is strategically used by DMO of Seville to increase the number of tourist arrivals, and project the brand image of Seville internationally [
161].
In the same line, when tourist destinations face economic, pandemic, and war crisis, these increase the promotion budgets to stimulate tourism demand, as we can see previously. In 2021 and 2022, all variables had an exponential growth in the province of Seville. All these reflect the central role tourism plays in Seville’s economy and its over dependence on this industry [
162]. In this study, we noted the complexity of the problem of pandemic crisis, Brexit, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the main emitters of tourists, people have not yet recovered full confidence to be able to travel freely again. It is precisely, for this reason that tourism promotion campaigns can help reduce people’s fears and uncertainly to travel to other countries. As stated by Avraham [
163] during the COVID-19 pandemic much effort was invested in generating positive coverage in TV, digital newspapers, social media, running campaigns, analysing target audiences, promote tourist destination's appealing messages to revitalize tourism demand and supply.
According to findings presented, tourism promotion budgets and campaigns contribute to revitalize the tourism demand and supply due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, in 2020 the provinces of Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Huelva, Málaga, and Seville increased their tourism promotion budgets and campaigns to recover tourism demand and supply, and passenger flows at Andalusian provinces. As the results show, passenger arrivals, number of tourists, hotel occupancy rate, overnight stays at hotels by international and Spanish, and total overnight stay indicators analysed increased in the years 2021 and 2022. Therefore, these six indicators increased in terms of percentages in comparison with 2020, and according to data showed in this study.
Figure 15 illustrates the six indicators benefited by Andalusia’s tourism promotion budgets and campaigns. These findings are in line with studies carried out by Figueiredo et al. [
36], Tilson [
164], Narváez and Zambrana [
165], Olszewski-Strzyżowski [
166], and Toubes et al. [
167] in which they state that tourism promotion campaigns contribute to improve and revitalize tourism demand and supply.