Yes - it is today!

Please don't forget that the first formal meeting of Completely Cómpeta takes place tonight in the Salón de Actos at 7pm.

See you there!

© 2008, Image & Profile

The Costa del Sol Tourist Board results for 2007

This report of the Tourist Board press conference shows that the last year remained reasonably healthy for tourism. Hopefully some of the information might help you in plans for this year,

The Costa del Sol Tourist Board recently held a press conference where the tourism results for 2007 were released. According to president Juan Fraile, who attended the conference with manager Antonio Díaz and SOPDE CEO Rafael Fuentes, most indicators were positive.

According to the data published, in 2007 there were 6,746,707 airport arrivals in Málaga, i.e. 3.49% more than in 2006. While 26% of these passengers came from Spanish regions, the remaining 74% were international tourists. On the whole, the number of tourists visiting Málaga in 2007 was 9,518,000, with a 2.73% rise over the previous year.

With regard to railways, 392,146 travellers came to Málaga by train in 2007, using the TALGO 200 that links our province to the Spanish capital city. Thus, the province greeted 2.91% more train passengers than in 2006. There were 1,063,408 train movements (arrivals and departures) across the southern corridor in María Zambrano station. Remarkably, during the first 16 days of the Madrid-Málaga high-speed train, the number of passengers rose by 58%.

One of the travel segments with the most spectacular performances in 2007 was that of cruising. In fact, the 238 cruise liners registered in Málaga Port carried 291,754 passengers. This means that the number of travellers grew by 30.73%, while the number of ships increased by 3.93%.

With regard to employment, it grew by 5.35% in the catering industry, with 60,594 employees and freelance workers. Thus 3,079 new jobs were created in 2007.

As to the accommodation offer, there were 1,926 establishments available in 2007 (+4.84% over 2006), including hotels and guest houses, country houses, holiday cottages, apartments, and campsites. Together, they had 151,119 beds (+3.32%). Hotel beds rose by 1.92%, considering both the 2.5% in hotels proper and the 5.2% decrease in guest houses.

In the case of travel agencies, they totalled 662 in Málaga Province in 2007, which means there were 11.3% more than in 2006.

In 2007, the hotels in Málaga Province accommodated 4,838,062 guests, showing a y-o-y growth rate of 4.2%. These guests were responsible for 17,083,620 overnight stays (+2.7% vis-à-vis 2006). The average hotel occupancy rate was 57.53%, i.e. it was 0.75% higher than the average for 2006.

Moreover, tourists proved to be loyal to our travel destination, since one out of two of them said they had been to the Costa del Sol at least twice before.

According to the data published in the Tourist Observatory, the average length of stay for tourists visiting Málaga in 2007 was 11.14 days, pretty much a similar length to that of 2006.

The quality of the Costa del Sol as a travel destination got a high average rating: 7.76.

As to expenditure, tourists visiting Málaga in 2007 spent an average of 39.94 euros a day, whereas in 2006 they had spent 36.82 euros. Thus, daily expenses went up by 8.47%. Tourists’ daily expenses totalled 4,234 million euros. The fact that they were higher than in 2006 has to do with both the rise in the number of travellers and with their spending more.

Source: Patronato de Turismo de la Costa del Sol

© 2008, Image & Profile

Only 3 days to go!

Everything is set for the first meeting of Completely Cómpeta this Thursday - 24th January - at the Salón de Actos starting at 7pm

Invitations have been sent to a large number of businesses in the village, but if you have slipped through the net - sorry! You will of course be more than welcome to attend and hear about the exciting proposals we have for this business & marketing initiative.

See you there!

© 2008, Image & Profile

Financial help for small businesses

The Ayuntamiento has recently published information about subsidies available to small & medium sized commercial businesses.

Amongst other things there will be opportunity to apply for subsidies for the following –

· Acquisition of data processing equipment & software
· Internet connection
· Acquisition of technological equipment
· Enlargement & reform of commercial activities
· Acquisition of equipment & furnishing etc.

As always there are certain exceptions to the availability of support and you are advised to check carefully.

Expressions of interest end on 31st January 2008

More information can be obtained from the Local Development Officer at the Ayuntamiento de Cómpeta – Tel. 952 516 006 or 952 516 025