First inland tourism fair launched to help boost visitor numbers in Malaga province

Álora will become the capital of inland tourism in the province by hosting the first edition of a fair in which 50 municipalities will participate on 14 and 15 June. The event has been presented by the deputy for technological development, heritage and maintenance, Sagrario Molina, who highlighted the importance of an event that aims to promote local tourism, inland getaways and boost local economies as a strategy to prevent depopulation. Attendance is free with prior registration on the website www.turismointeriordemalaga.com.

This first inland tourism fair, which will be held at Hacienda Los Conejitos and which has been organised by Turismo Interior de Málaga and Triángulo Activo Caminito del Rey, with the support of Sabor a Málaga, will become a showcase for the leisure and gastronomic offer of fifty towns that will participate in a meeting in which many parallel activities have been organised, as well as a series of lectures with experts who will provide keys for the development of this sector. "The aim is to boost the visibility of inland villages through their tourism offer, as well as to promote local tourism as a key factor in the fight against rural depopulation and as an impulse to generate new formulas for entrepreneurship," said Molina.

The mayor of Álora, Francisco Martínez Subires, said that this initiative will "highlight the identity and potential of the entire interior of the province", adding that it "represents a point of union" that aspires to have continuity and grow over time. "We are confident that the attendees will leave with a good taste in their mouths, because this event will showcase the typical products of local gastronomy," he said. Specifically, Sabor a Málaga will be bringing more than a dozen products. "These days are undoubtedly an excellent business card to showcase our landscapes, heritage and customs, and a great boost for local entrepreneurship, hospitality and trade," he explained.

For his part, the manager of Triángulo Activo, Cristóbal Martín, has advocated “unity to multiply experiences” and urged everyone to continue working together to improve the results of a province that is strong in both its coastal and inland tourism offerings. He also outlined the programme, which will begin with an event entitled ‘Andalucía Emprende: 23 years driving entrepreneurship, innovation and the future of inland Malaga province’. At this event, two success stories of tourism businesses advised by the centre will be presented. In addition, it was noted that the highlight will be the ‘pan con chocolate’ event (an activity with limited spaces that requires prior booking), where the bakery La Curruca and José Miguel Pasteleros will offer a chocolate workshop.

Attendees will have the opportunity to take part in a final draw for more than 60 experiences. On the website of Turismo Interior de Málaga, a platform that includes more than 300 experiences distributed throughout the province, it is also possible to consult the full programme for both days.

It is worth remembering that the 2024 balance of the inland offer confirmed the strength of this destination, making it the most important in Andalucía. Turismo Costa del Sol data shows that three out of every ten tourists looking for this segment in the region choose the province of Malaga, which has allowed it to concentrate 53 per cent of the region's overnight stays in this sector.

The good performance of the business has encouraged a growth in the supply of accommodation until the volume of rural houses and tourist homes in the interior of the Costa del Sol now represents 33.6 per cent of the entire Andalucía region and is greater than the interior of the provinces of Almeria, Cordoba, Huelva, Jaén and Seville combined. The figures speak for themselves. The inland areas of Malaga province received 1,388,000 tourists last year, some 1.9 per cent more than in 2023 and a tenth of all tourists visiting the province. This is an all-time record that allowed the economic impact generated by inland tourism to rise last year to almost 1.8 billion euros. In addition, this segment has allowed the creation of 18,715 jobs.