Travel2latam spoke about the city's tourism news with Sara Quintero Quesada, Tourism Promotion Executive, GrupoBCM, for Malaga.
How do you describe the current situation of your destination?
Malaga is a destination fully adapted to new tourist trends. In fact, it can be said that it is advanced and has been part of the vanguard when it comes to reading the tourist transformation that we are experiencing. Not in vain, the implementation of the Strategic Tourism Plan 2021-2024, the objective was set to definitively configure Malaga as a Smart Tourist Destination.
To achieve this, the destination continues to implement measures in favor of five basic pillars: governance, accessibility, technology, sustainability and innovation.
What types of attractions are unmissable for a tourist?
Malaga has a varied tourist offer, which facilitates diversification depending on the traveler's motivations. Therefore, it seems extremely difficult to relate attractions of the destination without forgetting some. However, in terms of monuments and heritage, without a doubt the Alcazaba, the Gibralfaro Castle and the Cathedral are the most notable landmarks; in urban planning, Larios Street, Plaza de la Merced and Paseo del Parque; In terms of museums, the Picasso Málaga Museum, Picasso's Birthplace and the Málaga Museum, among many others.
And along with this, it is worth noting new places for walks along the coast, such as the Palmeral de las Sorpresas or the Paseo Marítimo de Poniente; emblematic neighborhoods such as Pedregalejo or La Victoria, and natural environments such as the Montes de Málaga or the mouth of the Guadalhorce river.
How do you work to promote yourself in the world?
The Tourism Area annually carries out an ambitious Action Plan where the presence of the destination in the main national and international fairs and tourist events is planned.
Similarly, and according to the interests in specific tourist segments, Malaga also plans its presence in specialized events, thus diversifying the destination.
What are your largest source markets at the moment and which are
the emerging ones?
Within the international market, the United Kingdom stands out without a doubt, our main tourist source market. Germany, Italy, France and the Netherlands also deserve mention. Among the emerging ones, it is worth mentioning the rise and consolidation of the North American market (United States and Canada).
What type of programs do you have to encourage the arrival of tourism?
Very creative promotional actions are carried out, which also serve to insert the Málaga brand into the world and generate a desire to get to know it. The last of them, an interesting street art initiative that has already traveled through Germany, Switzerland and China and that during 2024 will continue to penetrate markets of interest to the destination.
Connectivity is essential, what is the current situation like in your destination?
The connectivity of the destination is key to its growth. In that sense, Malaga can boast a fabulous International Airport that connects the Costa del Sol with almost every corner of the world. In addition to this, the High Speed connection facilitates contact with the rest of national destinations. The Port of Malaga, for its part, is a recurring point for shipping companies for their stops on Mediterranean cruises.
Finally, the road network allows the other major international Andalusian destinations to be less than two and a half hours away, such as Seville, Córdoba, Granada, Cádiz, Ronda, Úbeda or Baeza, among other complementary destinations.