I don't think it has anything to do with the CDS outpricing itself it is all to do with the euro/pound rate. Friends daughter had a pre-booked holiday recently and said she found everything so expensive because of the exchange rate. They go to Spain every year so know how much they paid on previous visits and said when they calculated how much things were costing they cut back on meals and drinks "out" and shopped in the supermarkets.
Lets be honest when you payed 11 euros for a menu del dia in Bonanza Square last year it probably cost you about £7 and that is ok, now when you have to pay almost £11 for the same meal it comes as a bit of a shock especially if you are a family of 4. The exchange rate is not making these meals value for money any more.
It is no fault of the restaurant owners that Brits are not finding it good value for money - they still pay the same for their goods and the Germans, French, Spanish (or any country who uses the euro) will still think the prices are ok.
Brits have been the mainstay of the year round tourist industry in Spain for many years and this year the Spanish will struggle except for the main holiday months of July and August when the Spanish holiday on the Costas.

I am just back from Fuengirola last week and found it fairly quiet. many places were quite busy during the day but the majority closed at night or those that were open were quiet

there are some good deals for meals out there the vast majority were the chinese reaturants that were doing a 3 course meal for 5.5 euro which is good value. Even beer could be had for 1.5-- 2 euro a pint in many palces

stewart

I bought a Casio watch a year ago in the stores under the Las Palmeras. It cost 8 euros. this year they are priced at 12 euros. I bought one today on ebay for £7.00 p&p inc. The press are saying that the hotels are suffering from the lack of British tourists so why don`t they cut their prices?
Easyjet & bmibaby prices are massively up on last year too. DIY holidays are no longer viable at the prices today.

Have to agree with Mick, Bmi prices are much more expensive this April than 2008..then you have the weak £ & the credit crunch..!!

Was in Benalmadena from Nov to mid Jan, and true it was very quiet, especially in the evenings, some bars only opened part time hours, just not enough tourists around...however we spent a lot of time in Montemar, and nearly all the bars there were full, think this was due to so many hotels nearby...spoke to tourists staying in the hotels, and all had got very good deals on HB basis...were as Benal it mostly apts, & some owners in my opinion, charge far to much for their lets, i know they have bills to meet, but surely its best to have some rental income, than none at all..

Everywhere is dead. Tourism from the UK down 26% in Jan. Down from all other countries too.

We normally have a weeks holiday in March/April in Spain but not this year.
Just having our 2 weeks in June.
We were in gran canaria in January and noticed a big rise in prices.
We were lucky as we had book an half board holiday at a good price with first choice.
The people who were self catering said they could not afford to eat out every night as they normally would.
We saw a lot of people on the beach with home made food .
The cafes were empty and the bars and restaurants closed early at night.
I have been told it was the same on the mainland.
Very sad.

could it be people dont want out of season holidays with the pound so weak? I wouldnt want to travel over there in february risking cool weather. Lets face it its winter in spain too, albeit you can still get warm days.

Ill be over late may and hopefully it will be busier with the approach of summer.

I don't think there are such a thing as out of season holidays in the canaries , but we will have to wait and see as far as the mainland goes.
We are there in Costa del sol June.
Normally a busy time.
I hope the prices are not as high as the canaries were as we are self catering.
Might be beans on toast and a drink on the balcony.
LOL

I had 10 nights in lanzarote 10 days ago and that was steady but not busy. It was also very expensive puely down to the weak pound. Spent £1200 just on eating and drinking. (family of 5) and we had a good few "cheap" meals in the stay.

I was refering to the main land as out of season not the canaries!

as said,it is a lot quieter,but you have nice weather...the local brands of beers,are still cheaper than the UK. I too was out for half term..plenty of offers around if you look

We are all unhappy about the tourism situation in Spain, but none more so than the Spanish themselves, who saw unemployment rise by 200,000 to 3.3 million in January - a trend that is set to continue. A lot of these people are in the construction and tourism industries.

We all just have to learn to be more realistic in our personal budgets, and in our expectations of others. The days of going to the Mediterranean with 200 quid and coming home with change are long gone. However, by being frugal and selective, you can still eat and drink for reasonable prices. The Chinese restaurants and cheap 'n' cheerful bar / restaurants in Benalmadena can still provide reasonable value for money, with three-course meals from 5 Euros and bottled beer from 1 Euro.

Those prices still compare favourably with prices at home while, as "Waterproof" has already said, they are still paying the same prices for their supplies as before. We can't expect them to reduce already skinny profits because our currency is weak.

I hope and believe that the Pound will recover against the Euro over the course of the coming year. Let's all hope so, for our sakes and for the Spanish businesses.

Just returned after 5 weeks in Fuengirola, because of the exchange rate things are much more expensive. My advice use Spanish bars, you can still have a cheap night out including tapas.

Never known it so quiet, but just booked for next year.

We are going out to Benal in 4wks, hope we see a few more tourists this visit, we were there Nov-Jan and it was very quiet... the £ was on par with the €, its around €1.10 i believe now.. not back to its heady days of € 1.45-50 but a bit better at least, just hope the good weather they are having at the moment continues..

the euro is a lot better at the momment...but the Spanish are suffering also .
Still get your deals at the chinese and many a local bars etc.Cheaper than the UK any how,and the weather to go with it

About 1.08 tonight which means tourist rate will be around 1.04, or even less at some places...almost parity!

just seen it in the agents now.1.04...

We always use Nationwide debit card, and they do give a couple of cents above the exchange booths..sooo hope the rate climbs a bit higher, in the next 4wks..

it is 1.05 here with us at the moment,(today),so hopefully Dave,it will get to rise,fingers crossed.It is always a better rate over there as well in Rubens

I think partly the reason the bars are suffering is because they have let them slide into total decay and typical brit hell hole bars are so common here now, they dont offer something different to the tourist who has money to spend.
I work in the 24 hour square in Benalmadena, and Feb figures were up by 28% and this month so far has been amazingly busy, and with the prices higher here than the usual back street bars, there is no sign of the credit crunch hitting us yet. Still lots of stag, hen and even birthday parties around, with everyone not having a care in the world and are glad to be out of the uk for a few days and nights!!
So, it is not "DEAD" everywhere, its just a shame that so many people are intent on talking this CC into the ground thereby depressing people further and scaring them into spending money, this after all, together with the media hype is what got everyone so far into the state that we are in now!

Talk it up people, positivity, get some money flowing again and hopefull things this year will be better than last, because the signs are that they will be, even with the pound being so weak!

C. Chops