GERMAN tourists are set to dethrone Brits as the largest international market for holidays in Malaga province this autumn.
Bookings for September, October and November show German travellers will make up 26.95% of the rural tourism market.
This pushes the UK into second place with a 21.14% share, according to the latest figures from booking platform Ruralidays.
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Meanwhile, the Spanish domestic market has shrunk to just 13%, with local holidaymakers opting for cheaper travel alternatives.
Even visitors from the Netherlands are expected to outnumber Spaniards in the coming months.
Felix Zea, co-founder of Ruralidays, estimates that roughly one in four tourists arriving in the province this autumn will be from Germany.
The surge in foreign demand comes alongside rising prices for country getaways.
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The average stay now sits at around five nights, with prices hitting €42.25 per person per day.
This marks an increase of 3.87% on the same period last year.
It caps a strong season for the sector, with rural occupancy reported by local newspaper La Opinion de Malaga reaching 75% in September, a 10% jump from 2025.
October bookings are already at 64%, sitting three points higher than this time last year.
Coastal hotels are mirroring the rural boom, following a packed August where occupancy reached 92.85%.
The Aehcos hoteliers association calculates that September will close with a provincial average of 88.58%.
October is also expected to exceed 83%, with major Costa del Sol resorts including Torremolinos and Benalmadena predicted to break the 90% mark.
The autumn tourist season is being further bolstered by major international events across the province.
The San Diego Comic-Con Malaga will run from October 1 to 4.
Mijas will also host the Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino golf tournament between November 26 and 29.
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