Fear not: Spanish holidays will not “sell out”, despite media claims

From beaches to flights to hotels to a seat at your favourite restaurant, Spain will not sell out this spring or summer, no matter what the media says.

The infamous scaremongering of the British press is pretty common knowledge these days, but occasionally even world-weary folk can find their ability to ignore the more salacious headlines paralysed by a mixture of incredulity and astonishment…

Recently, it was the turn of the Daily Star to turn heads with its Holidays CRISIS headline. The story told the tale of how Spain was “selling out” of its holidays following a surge in bookings at the turn of the year.

Now, the premise is correct. Spain has enjoyed a boost in bookings, and yes, this is largely down to the fact that many British, Irish and German holidaymakers are shunning the resorts of Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt and Greece in favour of the safety and stability of Spain.

But to suggest that the country will be unable to welcome any more tourists during the Easter school holidays was, well, a cracking yarn. Spain is adept – perhaps more than any other country in the world – at accommodating millions of additional guests at once, especially at Easter when various corners of the country are inundated with not just foreign tourists but Spanish holidaymakers too.

Hotels cope, the roads cope, the airports cope, tour operators more than cope: the world goes on. Sure, prices might rise slightly during the busiest weeks, but that’s just business. Chuck in the extra rooms offered by sites like AirBnB and their ilk, as well as private holiday rentals, and there should be no reason whatsoever for any would-be beach-goer to have to stay at home.

And as for flights? Well, despite the Daily Star interviewing a Ryanair spokesperson about a potential shortage of seats, do you really think that a company as canny as Ryanair is going to simply say “sorry, we’re full, no more flights, no more seats, no more bookings”?

The entire notion is ludicrous. Spain is the world’s number one tourist destination for many reasons: sun, sea, sand and a stunning lifestyle. But it is also a long-cherished favourite because it simply copes better than other countries. It gets busy, but remains friendly and welcoming. It has a distinct culture, but allows all nationalities, ages and wealth brackets to find their own little slice of paradise. 

And yes, it sometimes can feel expensive in the very peak months, but it always manages to offer value for money, security, convenience, peace of mind and – most importantly – guaranteed sunshine and, yes, somewhere to sleep for the night!