Estate Agents Marbella
Avenida del Mar Mediterraneo
San Pedro de Alcantara,
Malaga
29670
Spain
+34 952 88 77 24
Estate Agents Marbella
36.481310
-4.988460
Spain has always been a European favourite, whether it’s for a holiday or moving to a foreign country. This is particularly true for the Costa del Sol, one of the most international communities in all of Europe.
The majority property transactions to foreigners on the Costa del Sol is influenced by our booming tourism industry. In this two-part article, we’ll visit facts and statistics about tourism and its influence on home buying in Spain, as well as what makes Málaga such an attractive place to live.
The city of Málaga is known for its historic beauty and cultural hotspots, as well as its exceptional beaches and gourmet eateries. No matter your interests, Málaga has something for everyone.
Málaga is predominantly known for its history, having been ruled by the Romans, Moors and Christians, to name a few. Historic sites to see include the Alcazaba, Roman Amphitheatre and Málaga Cathedral, each of which have a unique story to tell.
For those who enjoy more modern places to visit, the new Puerto de Málaga, the port, is home to the sleek and modern Pompidou Centre. Other local interesting museums include the Automobile and Fashion Museum and Carmen Thyssen Museum.
Pablo Picasso, a famed Spanish painter and sculptor, was born in Málaga during the late 19th Century. Fans of Picasso are spoilt for choice in the city, with his birthplace and namesake museum being open to the public. In recent years, archaeological excavations in the Pablo Picasso Museum uncovered Phoenician, Roman and medieval walls.
The city is also well known for its endless tapas bars and varied shopping locations. Málaga also offers fantastic transport links, both nationally and internationally, from the Maria Zambrano Train Station or the Málaga Bus Station. A new city Metro and Costa del Sol suburban trainline have proven to be a big hit.
Leading Courses, one of the most trustworthy information sources in the international golfing industry, named total of 14 Spanish golf courses in its 2018 Top 100 List.
Finca Cortesín Hotel, Golf & Spa was awarded the prestigious name of “Best European Golf Resort” for the second year running. The Resort offers some 67 spacious suites, impeccable, manicured gardens, a gorgeous spa, four swimming pools, a beach club, sporting facilities including tennis and padel courts, and a number of exquisite eateries.
Finca Cortesín has hosted a number of famed international tournaments over the years, including the Volvo World Match Play Championship in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
The Spanish government recently announced that Marbella’s Costa del Sol Hospital is the best in the country. The 400-bed hospital beat off tough competition from the nation’s 135 hospitals to be awarded the coveted title.
Spain is well known to have some of the best healthcare standards in Europe, with dedicated doctors, impressive innovation and clean, modern health centres. Spain offers exceptional national health insurance, and there are a number of private health insurance options available.
Aside from the public health centres on the Costa del Sol, there are also a number of private clinics, from general healthcare to fertility centres and cosmetic procedure centres.
Málaga International Airport offers an impressive number of national and international flights on a daily basis. Combined with its ease of access to all corners of the Costa del Sol, it makes this Mediterranean coastline one of the most international hubs in all of Europe.
Due to the demand from international holidaymakers and foreign residents, the Costa del Sol is flooded with fine restaurants, beach clubs, family entertainment centres, fashion outlets and more, ensuring everyone’s tastes are covered.
Marbella is synonymous with an international jet-set lifestyle, and Puerto Banús is known for its expensive yachts and attracting A-listers from around the world, including footballers, movie stars and billionaires.
However, if a genuine taste of traditional Spanish life is what you seek, San Pedro de Alcántara, between Puerto Banús and Guadalmina, has retained all its Andalusian charm in the centre of mainland Spain’s most international hub.
In our previous blog post, we discovered what makes the Costa del Sol so attractive for holidaymakers and homebuyers.
The Malagueñan coastline has always been a European favourite, known for its charming residents, exquisite eateries, luxury hotels and spas, challenging golf courses and popular beach clubs.
The Costa del Sol has seen 2016 and 2017 break tourism records, and these numbers are expected to rise again in 2018. Spain’s property market has a strong influence from international buyers, many of which have begun their journey to their new life during an overseas visit to the Spanish Riviera.
Spain has been a nation that’s thrived on tourism ever since the end of Francisco Franco’s dictatorship in 1975. While holidays in Benidorm first became popular in the 1960s, the rest of the nation, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, has seen an increase in tourism since the dictator’s death, and is now one of the world’s most popular destinations.
Today, Spain’s tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the nation. With 82 million tourists throughout 2017, tourism contributed 11.5% to Spain’s economy, €134 billion, boosting it by 5.7% from the previous year.
The tourism industry is also one of Spain’s biggest employers, with over 15% (over 2.8 million) jobs being dependent on tourism. Last year alone, a further 77,500 jobs were created in the tourism industry to accommodate the influx of visitors - more than any other sector.
During 2017, Andalusia saw the highest percentage of tourists, with some 29 million visitors throughout the year.
In January 2018 alone, Andalusia welcomed over 4.1 million tourists to the region, and the overall year-long number is expected to exceed 30 million tourists. January’s numbers alone are a 5.2% increase on tourism in the region during the first month of 2017.
With endless golf courses, beautiful beaches, friendly locals and historic cities, it’s easy to see why Andalusia is the favourite region for foreigners to visit.
Andalusia is one of Spain’s seventeen Autonomous Communities and is the second largest in the country. However, no other region offers the variety of scenery that the Southernmost community does.
Depending on what your interests are, there are endless places to visit in Andalusia. There are big, historic cities with endless shopping destinations, glamorous nightclubs, exquisite eateries, beach clubs and museums. But Andalusia is much more than historic cities and sandy beaches, as it’s also known for its natural beauty, offering small farming hamlets, deep forests, flowing rivers and endless mountains and hiking trails.
Andaluces, as the Andalusian population is referred to, welcome tourists to their beloved region, recognising the industry as an opportunity, not only of wealth, but also of employment and an opportunity to learn about the different cultures that visit them throughout the year.
Spain, as a whole, is known to be one of the world’s most tourist-friendly nations, but there really is no other region in Spain quite like Andalusia. From mountains to olive groves, modern architecture to ancient palaces, and vast plains to rolling countryside, Andalusia really does have it all.
For more information on the Costa del Sol and what attracts millions of tourists and foreign homebuyers, please read the first part of this blog.
Many foreign homebuyers in Spain have decided to make their investment during a holiday to our beautiful country.
In fact, foreign buyers accounted for over 13% of the nation’s property transactions during 2017, and bought over 60,000 homes throughout the country. With each year that passes, foreign buyers contribute more to the property market.
The market isn’t just increasing in the number of transactions, but also the prices. Throughout 2017, property prices increased 7.6% over prices throughout the previous year, which is expected to rise again this year.
Marbella and the Costa del Sol’s prestigious and idyllic urbanisations and neighbourhoods are what attracts people to Málaga. If living in the sunshine is what you’re looking for, the Costa del Sol is, without a doubt, the place to buy a property in Spain.