Travel and Tourism in Gibraltar

Arrivals boosted by British tourists

Gibraltar's travel and tourism industry remains closely tied to the fate of its most important source market, the UK. With this country rebounding from the economic crisis, Gibraltar thus benefited from a growing number of UK tourists in 2013. This trend was also supported by a documentary series on UK television, which further raised the profile of Gibraltar during the year.

Incoming tourist receipts suffer due to fall in same-day visitors

Incoming tourist receipts posted a negative performance in 2013 as a result of a fall in day visitors coming to the territory by car. Staying overnight in southern Spanish cities, many tourists only visit Gibraltar on day trips. However, lengthy queues and border controls to enter and leave Gibraltar have acted a deterrent for some. While this trend became visible in 2012, it accelerated further during 2013. The number of cruise ship passengers meanwhile was set to increase slightly during 2013, albeit not enough to reach 2011 levels.

Limited flight routes see modest expansion

The limited flight routes connecting Gibraltar to other destinations have a dampening effect on travel and tourism to and from the territory. In 2013, the only available routes were to the UK, with flight services to Barcelona and Madrid having been discontinued in 2010. However, there are plans to develop new flight routes over the forecast period, which will support both inbound and outbound travel. From 2014, for example, domestic company Your Flight, in association with Royal Air Maroc, will start services to the Moroccan city of Marrakech.

New outlets in the pipeline for travel accommodation

Due to its geographical constraints, Gibraltar features only a few hotels, which also face strong competition from outlets located on the other side of the border, in Spanish cities. Nevertheless, travel accommodation is set to see a strong performance over the forecast period thanks to high profile developments. In 2014, the Sunborn Gibraltar, a luxury yacht hotel, is set to commence operations. Moreover, there are also plans for a new Marriott outlet (Marriott International) to be opened in Gibraltar during the forecast period.

Positive growth expected over the forecast period

Gibraltar is expected to see a positive performance during the forecast period, both in terms of number of arrivals and incoming tourist receipts. While the territory will benefit from improved economic conditions in its most important source market the UK and in Europe in general, improved travel accommodation infrastructure will encourage more tourists to stay overnight and also open up more opportunities for MICE tourism.

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