The Alliance of Sun and Sea Tourist Municipalities (Alianza de Municipios Turísticos de Sol y Playa (AMT)) was born from the initiative of eight pioneering tourist destinations in Spain, such as Adeje, Arona and San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Canary Islands), Benidorm (Valencian Community), Calvià (Balearic Islands), Lloret de Mar and Salou (Catalonia) and Torremolinos (Andalusia).
Municipalities that are “looking” not only to survive in international competition and especially from other Mediterranean regions, but also to make the “Sun and Beach” model sustainable and accessible in the future, with the aim of maintaining their leading position in the sector.
It is no coincidence that in a relevant study (“Spain’s Sun and Beach Tourism Transformation Embracing Sustainability, Diversification, and New Market Segments for a Future-Ready Industry“), Mabrian Technologies “indicates” destinations in other areas of the Mediterranean, including Chania and Heraklion in Crete, as “competitors” to the Spanish initiative.
Commitment to innovation and tourism
Adrià Lamelas, mayor of Lloret de Mar and new president of AMT, underlined the Alliance’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, noting that “our mission is to ensure that the sun and beach tourism model evolves towards one that benefits both local communities and visitors.”
Good weather is a strategic asset, according to Mabrian, noting that the weather conditions of the Spanish destinations belonging to AMT are an established demand factor that remains consistent with European demand, as shown by Mabrian’s data. The average Climate Perception Index of the eight AMT destinations, which is a measure that assesses public perceptions of climate change, over the last 12 months, is 89 out of 100, 6 points above the index for Spain as a whole (83). The index remains stable, despite the impact that the effects of last October’s DANA storm had on public perception of the climate for both Spain and some alliance destinations.
Perception
This stability in the perception of the climate throughout the year can play a decisive role in reducing seasonality, attracting alternative segments with greater flexibility in choosing travel dates, such as couples or solo travelers, who currently represent 39% and 10% of demand, respectively, notes Mabrian. The alliance’s destinations are already making progress in reducing seasonality, a goal that Spain as a whole is pursuing and achieving, with initiatives aimed at distributing demand more evenly throughout the year.
AMT destinations also have an additional advantage for extending peak periods: a strong airline connection network, which represents 38% of the total number of direct international air seats to Spain in the last 12 months. As Mabrian’s analysis highlights, “the existence of a significant volume of demand and the confidence of airlines makes it easier to expand flights beyond the peak season. Expanding an existing route is much easier than creating one from scratch: this factor is crucial for attracting alternative segments of international visitors.
82.5% of available air seats in the last 12 months in the eight AMT destinations were operated by low-cost or charter airlines, which recorded an increase of 11.6% compared to the same period of the previous year. In contrast, low-cost and charter airlines in Spain represent 67.6% of total air seats. The percentage of seats operated by traditional airlines to Spanish destinations (32.4%) is almost double that of AMT municipalities (17.5%).
Destinations and Hotels
Other data from the Mabrian study indicate that in the eight destinations, 28% of hotels are managed by hotel chains, with 15% of these being managed by international hotel chains, a percentage almost double that of Spain.
The higher the percentage of international hotel brands, the more opportunities there are to attract alternative segments in the mid- and low-season, leveraging their international marketing and promotion channels. These channels are key to addressing one of the main challenges faced by some AMT destinations: reducing their dependence on origin markets.
In this context, the dynamics of the 5-star and luxury segment stand out: according to a recent McKinsey & Company report, 63% of travelers with “deep pockets” choose sun and beach destinations, yet only 20% of the global hotel supply in these destinations caters to this high-end market.
Reducing dependency
Reducing dependency on origin markets also requires an effort to reduce dependency on incentives. The eight sun and beach destinations analyzed are progressing at different rates in this regard and need to capitalize on global and European tourism trends, which are increasingly focusing on experience-based travel, with the growing importance of “blue tourism” – tourism linked to beach and sea activities. According to estimates by the “blue tourism” initiative, this type of tourism already represents 50% of global tourism.
Finally, Mabrian points out that it has identified a number of other destinations such as Hurghada (Egypt), Agadir (Morocco), Crete (Greece), Zagreb (Croatia) and Bari (Italy) as the five main competitors to the eight AMT destinations for the first half of 2025. This is based on a cross-analysis of the major airlines connecting the largest European origin markets to these destinations and on the increase in scheduled air transport capacity to alternative destinations: other coastal cities in Italy, Greece, Malta and Croatia are also included in this list of competitors to be closely monitored.
