The eight southern provinces are not satisfied with being leaders in national tourism and seek in 2022 to recover international tourism that left more foreign currency
Andalusia is the Spanish region that attracts the largest number of national tourists. But in 2022 the goal is another. The eight southern provinces have conspired to recover the international tourism, the one that leaves the most currency. To do this, they cross their fingers in the hope that the pandemic ends as soon as possible, while working with three purposes: to demonstrate that the south is a safe destination, to delve into the quality as the only maxim capable of making the sector grow and offering new tourist products, each day more original, unique, different from the rest of the competitors.
Lets start by the beginning. A few years ago, Almería wanted to remind its faithful visitors of its close ties with the who. Today the offer is widened and the political and business leaders of the province have sought out social networks and influencers who accumulate thousands and thousands of followers. Almera wishes to teach four things: the only virgin beaches that still remain in the continental Mediterranean arch, the only desert in Europe, the only terrestrial maritime park and a crowned mountain range in the port of the Ragua where to practice cross-country skiing in the winter months. And all this charm to achieve three things: recover international tourism, win the organization of important sports competitions and advertise other charming destinations within the province throughout the world. For now, Almera is promoted these days in the meters of London and Paris, two capitals that, even before the outbreak of the pandemic, provided a good number of foreign tourists.
The sport It is a strong argument to attract tourists. Cdiz knows it and this year it tries to persuade its visitors of the attraction of being in the first row in the motorcycle championship of Jerez, the international surfboard tournaments in Tarifa, the Sail GP in Cádiz or the start of a stage of the Vuelta Ciclista a España from Sanlcar de Barrameda. In fact, Sanlcar will have a prominent role in 2022: It is gastronomic capital of Spain and continues to commemorate the fifth centenary of the first circumnavigation starring Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano.
In Saint Ferdinand, by the way, the flamenco interpretation center Island Shrimp promises to act as a magnet for lovers of the Andalusian musical genre par excellence.
In 2022, Córdoba seeks two things: Attract part of the cruise tourism that docks in Malaga and find new clients in America, not only in U.S but in Spanish-speaking countries. The capital also focuses its efforts on promoting its Holy Week as one of the most unique celebrations and exalt gastronomy with regard to the new dining rooms and the high distinctions that its chefs have achieved.
In Lucena and Priego cultural tourism linked to the artistic baroque multiplies its presence and the northern counties of Sierra Morena strengthen their link with astronomical tourism.
Mars on Earth
Huelva has places in its interior that resemble Mars on Earth. This is, in fact, the title of the most ambitious and unique tourist project that this 2022 offers the province of Huelva. His scene is Riotinto mining park, the natural area that offers more analogies with the red planet. A large investment has made it possible to set up a ‘Martian station’, learn about the tests that astronauts carry out to carry out manned missions and discover the secrets that a spacecraft hides.
Riotinto’s connection with outer space is ancient: organisms such as the Nasa, the European Space Agency or the National Institute of Aerospace Technology carry out research in the subsoil and in the river basin. In addition, they test in these places the technology that allows studying the red planet.
Granada celebrates this year the first centenary of the Cante Jondo Contest that Falla and Lorca organized in 1922 in the Alhambra. Culture is once again a magnet for national tourism, but the capital and the province have set more ambitious goals and seek to recover international tourism from the United States and Japan, two of their most faithful countries. Public administrations will try to persuade their old clients that it is time to return. And for this, in addition to the cultural routes of the capital, they will offer new projects such as the museum of underwater life in Almucar-La Herradura or the recovery of an old sugar factory in Guadix, among other initiatives.
Jan has consolidated products such as the Ruta de los Natural parks, the Renaissance of the South or Oil Tourism. Now, with initiatives such as Noches de Luz en los Castillos de Jan, it seeks to strengthen national tourism, which has been its most loyal customer, and to scratch part of the international cake that its neighboring provinces drag along. This year, moreover, marks the twentieth anniversary of the Vía Verde del Aceite, one of the first itineraries of these characteristics opened in Spain. In addition, the Jan Selection, the best olive oils extra virgin in the world, are present in the kitchens of the best restaurants in Spain and Europe.
Malaga was always ahead of its time. She was the first to realize that the cultural tourism was an extraordinary source of income, he launched active tourism and nature initiatives that germinated in the King’s Path and now she is bent on strengthening the Costa del Sol western as a luxury destination, the one that leaves the most foreign currency.
Last year, the capital and the towns and cities of the province welcomed the largest number of national tourists who came to Andalusia. Their presence will continue to be welcome in 2022, but the efforts are being made outside the Spanish borders. Agreements have been reached with the main aerolneas in the world to multiply flights, the big chains continue endlessly repeating names like Marbella, Estepona Y Benahavs, the so-called golden triangle of the Costa del Sol, and haute cuisine -with new names of its own- is a temptation for the most demanding European and Asian palates.
There are capitals that live off the inertia of their beauty. Seville is one of them. It is also Granada or Córdoba. But in the province of Seville, the capital is the magnet towards which all eyes are directed. That is why contacts with airlines have multiplied to reopen old routes to Europe that, even before the pandemic, had given good economic results. There will be a new connection with London’s Gatwick airport and in the summer companies such as Ryanair expand frequencies in destinations with the highest demand. In addition, the province has opened three new tourist projects, linked above all to spiritual and religious tourism: The Benedictine Way, the Ways to Guadalupe and the Order of Malta in the province of Seville.
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism