panto

Hi - my wife and I are thinking of moving to inland Andalucia to set up a B&B / guest house business. We're probably looking at areas you can reach from Malaga, but definitely inland ie. NOT Costa Del Sol. Possibilities include areas around Ronda & pueblos blancos, Antequera etc.

I'd like to hear from anyone/everyone about what's happening with rural tourism in inland Andalucia. Do you have any stats about tourist numbers, which countries they are coming from, whether the strong euro has seriously dented numbers coming from the UK, whether the tourist board is actively promoting rural toursim etc.

Any help and advice welcomed! Many thanks.

poolboy

sorry I can't help with your specific request but I'd look at the availability of holiday lets in the area too, not just hotels, B&Bs etc. Rural B&B can be expensive compared to renting an apartment. In my area (Costa Blanca) the B&B offering is far too expensive compared to renting a house, it's all down to supply & demand I suppose.

Saying the above we toured the Pyrenees & paid v little for lovely b&bs.

Good luck with the plans though.

angiescarr

Rural tourism still seems to be growing in the Sierra de Aracena. But at the moment mostly brings Spaniards from Huelva and Sevilla provinces and further away. Reached from Faro (2 + hours drive) and Seville (1 +)
Ryanair are now flying to Seville from Liverpool and London Airports and to Faro from most of their UK. You'll need a really good website if you want to open that up to the English. There is a small but intelligent (and usually creative) community of Brits in the Sierra. PM me if you need more info about this area.

WomBatt

I would encourage you to look to Antequera (proper) whatever shape this accommodation business eventually takes. An underrated destination and value for one day of anybody's time. The crossroads of Andalucia, easily accessible by public transport from Malaga and airport and easy (ish), also by public transport to use as a base for visits to many of visitors' initial or prime wish lists when visiting Andalucia. I would suggest the transport issue could be a big selling point.

I have often thought on your subject in the last ten odd years since I discovered the vicinity.

agoreira

We've visited most parts of rural Andalucia over the years, but we choose small hotels over B&B's, so not an expert on B&B's! However, I have found the number of people staying in rural places to have been increasing over the years. You mentioned Ronda, we go to that area a lot, and this year we went to book into a hotel we haved used many times, full! They put us onto someone else locally, full! Another one, full! On the fourth attempt we got the last room in a hotel. This was April/May, not prime summer time, so things seem to be busy. We have a few friends renting out property, and they have noticed that their bookings are increasing from Northern Europe, Scandinavia etc, but dropping from Brits. As I say, no expert, but I understand that a lot of B&B's operate illegally, ie they should be registered, which involves all the necessary fire precautions etc, and declaring your income! Bear in mind, you'll be one of many, all fighting for the same market, it won't be easy money. Who knows what the next few years will bring as regards tourists numbers, I can't imagine it's going to get a lot better.

Casa Santo Estevo

Not know anything about what is happening to Rural Tourism in Andalusia financially. But did you know that in theory you have to register the business with the Junta?
The link to the regulations is here. I think the bottom link is the one cover accommodation.
Note I said in theory register as I think you will find many are not. But if you do not then there are listing websites which will not allow to advertise on them and you never know when you get a visit from the authorities and may end up looking over your shoulder all the time.

alig2010

When we visited that area last May we felt that there was a lot going on to promote the area as a good tourist destination. Road connections have been improved and there seems to be a push for tourism generation.

You need to get in a car and see for yourselves I think.

Also, I think that the Scandinavians and the Northernmost Europeans will find Spain cheap because their cost of living is so high - plus at any time of year it is always going to be at least 10 degrees warmer. Would I be looking solely at the Brit market at the moment - no. Do I think that there is a market - yes. I'd be looking to see what presence the area has on the Scandinavian websites.

Good luck with the research and I hope that it is a goer if you really want to do it - but the bureaucracy will be a nightmare and you need to be prepared to put yourselves through that.

steviedeluxe

I'm quoting "Casa Santa Estevo" because he (the owner) has seemingly managed to do what the OP wants to do - run a small hotel business in Spain, away from the Costas. Plus they've managed on attracting customers from elsewhere and very few Brits (if I've understood their posts correctly). In my view, anyone thinking of opening such an establishment, should employ CSE's services as a consultant. If only to avoid the "easy" mistakes; there inevitably will be some mistakes no matter how well prepared you are.

Good luck.

licinius

Have a look at the Alhaurin Golf Hotel & El Mirador. These are what you have to compete with.

Unless you're providing basic facilities at rock bottom prices (not really what rural Andalucian tourists look for) you have some serious competition.

Casa Santo Estevo

Thank you for your kind words...Shock horror time even we have made mistakes, but that is to be human.

Rotor

Dont forget that if you do it legally ,(unlike most) , you will have to jump through hoops and wait ages for approval/permission ,check this out with the town hall wherever you buy BEFORE you buy.

Cazzy1

We have some friends that live in Inland andalucia. They have a country property with 2 letting units. They also offer B&B. They have something like a 75% occupancy and make a profit in excess of 12,000 euros a year. They are fully legal etc. We also have some friends with a B&B and they seem to be doing Ok too. I think as long as you keep your prices competative it will work. It has done for them, so much so that they are both selling up and moving on to bigger and better!!!!

Casa Santo Estevo

For those who want to work in Tourism (i.e. bars, hotels, B&B, tours, adventure sports, etc.) then the this website is for you.
Obviously, like a lot of other countries, there are laws covering these activities. This website (in Spanish) gives links to the laws covering everything.

If are specifically looking to laws regarding tourism then this page is the one you need. You have to choose the activity you are interested in.
Each autonomous community has its own laws so what you find is ok in one are will not be in another. Also you should note that any tourism activity is granted permission by the autonomous community you wish to set up in and not by a local concello.

I wonder where the OP has gone, maybe studying all the laws!

Casa Santo Estevo

I wonder what happened to Panto? It is shame they never came back as I have found some information about subsidies you can obtain when setting up or maintaining a tourism business. No good me posting it is there!

pablosho

May be Panto has been scared off but I am sure there are others out there who would be interested in your info regarding subsidies.

It really is worth looking into the legality of starting up a business such as a B&B. I have a friend who speaks very good Spanish and thought she had done everything legally to run her B&B in rural Andalucia but was shut down for not covering all the requirements. There are also heavy fines and although always denied by the authorities, expats tend to be easy targets!

For anyone seeking this business route I would follow Casa Santo Estevo's advice!