Barcelona and Madrid – these two destinations are constantly promoted in the travel industry and often overpower the rest of Spain. Málaga, a city in the country’s Andalucía region, is trying to get the same kind of enthusiasm from tourists by offering something the big cities can’t: authenticity.
Julia Alvarez De Toledo, head of communications, Málaga Costa del Sol Tourist Board, said that Málaga offers a unique appeal because of its location.
“Málaga is a hub with an extensive rail and transportation network,” Alvarez De Toledo said. “From here, people can connect to the bigger European cities, as well as Málaga’s surrounding historic villages such as Ronda, Granada, Seville and Marbella.”
Alvarez De Toledo said that most of Málaga’s visitors – 40 per cent – are from Spain and that this is the region’s most important market. The UK makes up 34 per cent of tourism and Germany makes up 10 per cent. The tourist board said that it is also focusing its promotional efforts in emerging markets such as Scandinavia, Russia, the Middle East and North America.
“Last year, Málaga had nine million tourists,” Alvarez De Toledo said, adding that this is a 0.1 per cent increase from 2012, and a 3.5 per cent increase from 2011. “The most important reason for the visits is for the sun and beach but we also want to focus on Málaga’s culture, history and attractions such as the famed Pablo Picasso museum.”
Another focus for the Costa del Sol Málaga Tourist Board is to increase off-peak travel, especially from November to April. To accomplish this, Alvarez De Toledo said the board will focus on promoting golf, cruises, conferences and meetings, health and wellness, cultural tourism and green travel. She also said that there will be more press trips, citing them as the most profitable promotional campaign.
“The tourism industry is the number one driver for Málaga’s economy,” Alvarez De Toledo said. “Promoting the destination is essential to the region’s development.”
Although most of Málaga’s tourists come from Europe, Alvarez De Toledo said that this year, the tourist board also has its sights set on North America – it plans to attend more trade shows and conferences in Canada, and it will participate in the Virtuosos Travel Week and IMEX conference in Las Vegas.
To maintain the benefits of tourism, the Costa del Sol Málaga Tourist Board is also focusing on investment and development throughout the region. Recently, Málaga’s hotels and hostels have added 1,000 extra beds throughout their properties in order to cater to the growing number of visitors.
Melia Hotels International, for example, is one hotel chain that has invested a lot of resources into upgrading its properties in Torremolinos.
According Enzo Russi, leisure sales manager, Andalucía resort hotels, global leisure sales, Melia, the Sol Principe resort has a new buffet restaurant opening this year that will be situated near the main pool area; Sol Don Pablo has completely renovated its kitchen and main entrance; Melia Costa del Sol has renovated its wellness spa and now includes treatments with natural sea water; and Sol Aloha Puerto renovated its lobby, bar and entertainment area.
“Holding 33 per cent of the hotel occupancy in all of Spain, we have to maintain our position and continually invest in further development,” Russi said.
“With this, we contribute a lot of things to the regions we operate in such as jobs and community service,” Russi added. “We are world leaders. We are the number one hotel chain in Spain and the third largest in Europe. To work with a company like Melia gives employees experience and prestige and we are always looking to give back to our communities.”
According to the Costa del Sol Málaga Tourist Board, hotels account for 54 per cent of all accommodations available in Málaga alone. Furthermore, there are 2,400 restaurants and 9,000 bars and cafés in the province, along with entertainment venues and amusement parks, all providing employment opportunities.
“Over 85,000 people are employed in the tourism industry in Málaga,” Alvarez De Toledo said. “We work with a lot of organizations, local companies, hotel chains and boards to provide people with employment and to continue our growth.”
For more information on Málaga and its surrounding regions, go to visitcostadelsol.com.
BOULEVARD 