La Manga businesses expect a busy summer despite global uncertainty

Local tourism operators say bookings are performing well but say beach management, seasonal facilities and lifeguard cover still need to be improved

La Manga businesses are expecting a busy summer ahead, with visitor numbers forecast to be similar to last year.

Data shows holidaymakers are increasingly choosing destinations closer to home due to global uncertainty. Despite this, local business leaders say booking figures remain encouraging and could even support visitor numbers in Spain this year.

With the peak season approaching, local businesses are waiting for a key meeting on safety and coordination, covering traffic management, beach access and the use of public spaces.

They say the beaches are ready for summer, but believe there is still room to improve how things are organised.

One of the main requests is for beach safety services to start earlier in the season. Businesses say lifeguards should be in place before July, especially at weekends in June when visitor numbers are already high.

Local operators will also raise these concerns with the new coastal affairs delegate, Álvaro Valdés, at a meeting this week. They hope it will lead to better planning and coordination in future summer seasons.

Recent changes in coastal management have been welcomed, with communication between the authorities and local business owners said to have improved. This is helping to make it easier to raise issues and work towards solutions.

However, beach bars and other temporary beach facilities remain a key concern. Businesses say the rules around where these can be placed, how long they can stay open, and what structures are allowed are still unclear and slow to resolve, with little progress made since last year.

They argue that while these restrictions don't affect how many people use the beaches, they do impact the look and feel of the resort during the summer season. As a result, they are calling for more practical, long-term decisions over the coming months to have a stable system in place by summer 2027.

Businesses expect this summer to be similar to last year across both hotels and the tourism sector in general, despite ongoing challenges in the holiday rental market.

Image: Archive