It’s autumn and it’s glorious. We have just had a strong summer rentals season here in Marbella. Our villas are superbly fabulous as always, the weather could not be beaten, and the market has recovered after two years of restrictions. So what are the main observations, this year versus last? How have customers’ tastes and behaviours changed since life has returned to normality? Read on for our much-anticipated market low down.
2022 versus 2021 in Marbella: More People, Better Managed
It goes without saying it has been a busy season. There have been more holidaymakers here on the streets and more people around the port and the beaches. Still, crowds are managed better than before the pandemic and there is a tendency for keeping one’s distance. We call it personal space! There is still a welcome gap between people and tables in restaurants, just enough to give people their privacy without feeling impersonal.
Pets, Pets, and more Pets
The pandemic forced more people to work from home and some of them adopted a pet for the first time. What we have seen happen is that pets are now an even greater part of the family than before – people don’t want to leave them behind! This year compared to last, there has been a 15% increase in enquiries for villas where dogs are welcome. Luckily, we were able to work with them as several of our most desirable villas in Marbella do accept pets.
Intimate Dinners
Remember “quality time”? That old concept has come back with a vengeance and come back to stay, even though the pandemic no longer restricts movement. This is a truly fabulous thing. The trend for spending time at home hasn’t completely vanished. Guests are going out more, but there has been an increase in enquiries for our personal chef service too. Intimate dinners in a private villa have become very much part of the whole Swish experience.
Groups are Back!
Group travel has naturally picked up as restrictions on party size have lifted, this is to be expected. This year versus last year we saw a 23% uplift in bookings for over 8 people. The table below shows our split of bookings by party size, this year and last.
Party size |
2021 |
2022 |
| 1-2 people | 30% | 24% |
| 3-4 people | 56% | 34% |
| 4-8 people | 12% | 35% |
| 8 or more people | 2% | 7% |
A Return to the Great Outdoors and Adventure Sports
We have seen more enquiries this year for trips which include activities in nature, these include hiking, visits to the countryside and strangely enough, we have had many enquiries for high adrenalin and dangerous activities like bungee jumping or white-water rafting. (Much more than last year!)
Our take on this is that guests now appreciate being out in the wild more than before, possibly since their time indoors in more restrictive periods. The interest in adventure sports in Marbella seems to have significantly increased, we don’t know if this is just a different mix of customers or a new found zest for life and ‘life is for living’ attitude. Either way, we are happy to help.
Most popular out of home requests:
| 1. Nature trails – especially La Concha (even in the height of summer!) |  |
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| 2. Go karting |  |
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| 3. Bungee jumping |  |
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| 4. Uplift in enquiries for windsurfing and kitesurfing |  |
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Holiday Trends 2022 vs 2021
Anecdotal feedback from our guests highlights that they are taking more holidays this year than last. In fact, we have also seen an increase in repeat bookings within the year, and heard from several of our parties that this year they are making the most of travelling.
Guests Visiting Marbella for the First Time
We are also welcoming more guests who have never been to Marbella before compared to last year. Our reasoning for this might be during the pandemic guests wanted to stick to what they knew.
% of clients who were visiting Marbella for the first time: Summer 2021 and 2022
2021 46% of guests were visiting Marbella for the first time
2022 68% of guests were visiting Marbella for the first time
Domestic Versus International Travel to Marbella 2021 and 2022
We have seen a subtle shift in this area. In 2021 international travel was open but there were still some restrictions. Consequently, we saw a few more bookings than would be the norm from domestic arrivals, such as Madrid and Seville. The reality is, however, people needed their break in the sun so they still travelled abroad last year where possible.
The Split of Domestic and International Swish Holidays 2021 and 2022
| Swish Holidays 2021 | |
| Domestic 33% | International 67% |
| Swish Holidays 2022 | |
| Domestic 27% | International 73% |
It is clear that 2022 has been a rewarding season to be involved in, and we have seen the holiday industry in Marbella come back with a BANG. We look forward to the future with confidence, here’s to a successful 2023!
With love,
The Swish team xx
