Laurence Dollimore
THE ongoing coronavirus pandemic is expected to see all hotels on the Costa del Sol shut their doors this week.
It means some 12,000 jobs will be lost, temporarily or permanently, in a huge dent to the region’s tourism industry.
Some 44 hotels on the costa have already closed while 220 have shut up shop across Andalucia.
The head of the Federation of Hotel Owners in Andalucia Luis Callejon Sune told Diario Sur it is just the tip of the iceberg.
The rush of tourists to airports like Malaga to get home amid fears of travel bans has only hurried the closures.
It means, according to Sune, that it is only a matter of days before all 500 hotels in the region close.
They will be added to the hostels and aparthotels, which offer a further 854 accommodation options.
An avalanche of temporary sackings is expected to begin taking place from tomorrow.
Head of the CCOO union Lola Villaba said: “Between now and the weekend there will be no hotels open on the Costa del Sol.”
Many hotels have already announced that they will be closed until the beginning of the summer season in June.
Granada has seen the most hotel closures on 70; followed by Jaen, with 56; Malaga (44); Cordoba (30); Almeria (22); Cadiz (20); and Sevilla with 17.
Among the establishments that are already closed are the two Paradores in Malaga, in Gibralfaro and Golf, which shut their doors this morning.
They have both been made available to authorities for medical use or any other use if need be.
They will also reimburse or change the date of travellers who had paid to stay during the lockdown period.
It will also donate any surplus food to charities.
Spain now has more than 9,100 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
