| After the Costa del Sol, the traditional mass tourist | | | | difficulties to even get close to these numbers. |
| destination in Southern Spain started to become | | | | The mayor reason for this is the lack of |
| saturated many travellers started to look for | | | | professionalism and experience in marketing the |
| alternative destinations. This change in tourism | | | | holiday homes. Most owners of country houses in |
| behaviour was not only motivated by the saturation, | | | | Andalucía have no specific studies in the filed |
| but also the increasing degradation of their natural | | | | of rural tourism and do not speak any other |
| setting of the Mediterranean coastline. | | | | languages apart from Spanish, which makes it difficult |
| Soon the rural inland areas of traditional destinations | | | | to communicate with foreign customers in the |
| like Malaga or Almeria started to notice an increase in | | | | pre-reservation stage. It also makes it very hard to |
| the number of inquiries for places to stay. The local | | | | get in touch with tour operators abroad who |
| government of Andalucía saw in rural tourism | | | | specialise in rural tourism in Andalucía. |
| an opportunity to reactivate the economy of small | | | | The mayor part of the country houses in the |
| inland villages and hamlets which had been suffering | | | | provinces of Granada, Malaga or Jaen is empty |
| from a decreasing population due to the lack of | | | | almost all year around, except for the Spanish school |
| opportunities for the young people. Traditionally the | | | | holidays. Foreign tourists, who travel outside the |
| rural areas of Andalucía solely depended on | | | | traditional Spanish holidays, can find exceptional good |
| the extensive agriculture which generates very few | | | | offers for beautiful country houses of high quality, |
| man-hours of work during the year. | | | | many of them in fantastic natural settings, like the |
| With the help of Spanish and EU funding many | | | | Alpujarras, the Ronda Mountains or the Axarquia in |
| villagers started to restore abandoned houses and | | | | Malaga. |
| converted them into country houses, modern | | | | We have seen cases of astute owners with |
| cottages with ancient style or traditional fincas and | | | | knowledge of foreign languages who have to deal |
| haciendas. Like in many inland areas the rural | | | | with an overbooking situation during many weeks of |
| population of Andalucía is fairly experienced | | | | the year and others, less fortunate but with country |
| constructors and most of the properties have been | | | | houses of exceptional quality and high standards, who |
| converted into country houses and holiday homes of | | | | have vacancies for these same weeks. These cases |
| high standards and quality. | | | | can normally be found in the more remote villages of |
| However the spectacular growth of the demand for | | | | Granada, Malaga, Jaen or Almeria where there is a |
| rural tourism in the late ’90 has already been | | | | bigger lack of professional marketers. |
| caught up by an ever more spectacular increase in | | | | Some of the most beautiful natural areas in Spain, like |
| the offer. If it was not difficult to have an | | | | the Alpujarras, the Valle del Lecrín or the |
| occupation of 50 - 60% % in the early days, today | | | | Axarequia still offer holiday bargains in select country |
| many owners of rural country houses and inland | | | | houses and fincas, even during the periods |
| holiday homes in Andalucía have great | | | | considered high season. |