There’s no doubt that the number of US tourists visiting Spain has surged in recent years.
But there’s one resort on the Costa del Sol that they have taken a particular liking to.
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According to Spain’s national hotel survey, at least 26,588 US visitors chose Marbella as their holiday destination in 2024.
It means Americans accounted for 3.7% of the total number – 719,151 – of hotel guests.
While it may not seem like a large share, the figure does not include the thousands who opt for Airbnb or tourist apartment rentals, meaning the real number is much higher.
Selling luxury to the US market
Marbella’s tourism strategy is to target high-spending visitors. It boasts more five-star hotels than anywhere else in Andalucia, five Michelin-starred restaurants, and Puerto Banus – a luxury shopping area lined with designer brands and mega-yachts.
Golf remains a huge draw too, with the Marbella Club admitting that the sport is a key magnet for its growing American clientele.
Malaga airport connection
The direct United Airlines flight between Malaga and New York/Newark, which operated daily from May to September this year, has turbocharged the trend.
Malaga airport itself is breaking records, handling 12.39 million passengers in the first half of 2025, the busiest in its history.
From holiday to lifestyle
What’s striking is how the phenomenon is no longer confined to the summer. Marbella is now luring long-stay American teleworkers who swap the stress of New York or Miami for the Costa del Sol.
Miami businessman Hooman Hilton spends winters in Los Monteros, an exclusive beachfront enclave of gated villas, private security and chiringuitos.
Meanwhile, New York engineer Andrew Stanley Jones spends up to 10 months a year in Elviria, working remotely for a multinational, reports Spanish newspaper ABC.
More than a holiday
With luxury hotels, Michelin dining, golf, exclusive real estate, and a growing reputation as a base for digital nomads, Marbella is fast becoming the Mediterranean lifestyle capital for Americans – no longer just for a summer escape, but for year-round living.
Read more Costa del Sol news at the Spanish Eye.
