News Archive from Andalucia & Costa del Sol

...News from Andalucia

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Week ending April 25th

EASTER TRADE BEATS PREDICTIONS

The manager of the Costa del Sol Tourist Board, Ana Gómez, has said that good weather led to Easter trade across the province being higher than even the most optimistic expectations. The latest official estimation is that 800,000 people made their way into the province for the Easter break. Hotel occupancy was at an average of 95 per cent, well ahead of predictions of just under 90 per cent, and restaurateurs have reported an average 60 per cent rise on their normal levels of trade.

Málaga Airport also exceeded expectations finally servicing 2,538 flights over the holiday period, 60 more than originally programmed.

COME TO THE FAIR

Ronda Town hall has allocated 24 million pesetas to its May fair being held between 18th and 22nd of that month. The Fair is dedicated to livestock and is the oldest of its type in ANDALUCIA. Last year the events also included a national dog show and horse show. This year's Fair will include a display of farm machinery and produce from the Serrania de Ronda.

MORE FISH ON THE MENU

Málaga fishermen returned to work the waters close to the Andalucian coast line last Monday after a two month long suspension to allow fish stocks to recover. Locally caught Sardines, anchovies and mackerel are once again on local restaurant menus.

However, the trawlers which go in search of hake, angler fish, lobster and baby squid and the white prawn will have to continue in port until June 1, when restrictions end on these species.

NEW BRIT AIRBUS TO MALAGA

British company GB Airways, which operates a franchise agreement under British Airways, has announced an increase in capacity on its routes to Málaga. Two new A321 airbus are to be added to the fleet giving a 26 per cent increase in seat numbers over the current Boeing 737-440s. The change is part of a plan which will see a new fleet of 10 A321 and A320 airbus to be in use by the end of 2003.

A GB Airways spokesman said the new planes were quieter, caused less pollution and used less fuel, and were being introduced in the face of increased competition in the charter services sector.

TIVOLI EXPECTS BUMPER NUMBERS

The ever popular Tivoli World attractions park in Arroyo de la Miel, due to celebrate its 30th Anniversary next year, is getting ready for this summer's visitors.

Visitor figures indicate that Tivoli is increasing in popularity with holidaymakers. Last year 820,000 people visited the park to enjoy its 36 attractions. The company expects to exceed that figure this year.

For this season the Plazas de Oeste and ANDALUCIA have been remodelled and new spectaculars have been included in the programme including tribute shows to the Beatles and Abba. Tivoli has now switched to its summers hours and is open from 16.00 to 01.00 seven days a week.

CABLE CAR SOARS

Also celebrating is the Benalmádena cable car. Municipal sources say 300,000 travellers will have sued the 'telecabina' in its first year. That is 50,000 more than anticipated in the initial viability study and averages 800 people a day.

SEAHORSES AT SEA LIFE

Down in Benalmádena's Puerto Deportivo the Sea Life centre also recorded 300,000 visitors last year. For this season a special aquarium has been incorporated dedicated to seahorses. This is the first exhibition of sea horses in Spain and 20 million pesetas have been spent on the project. Seahorses are in danger of extinction and five different classes will be exhibited.

BIG BOOST FOR FAIR

The second Feria de Muestras de Empresas de Benalmádena will be held in October this year. Last year the Town Hall spent five million pesetas promoting the event and 50 companies took the opportunity to display their wares at the town's feria ground due to the success of last year's feria the Town Hall has increased the budget to 50 million and expects 300 companies to participate.

PROTECTING THE PAST

Alhaurin de la Torre Town Hall has approved a new regulation to protect the historic heritage of the town. The ruling amends the 1990 Town Planning ordinance and covers 44 of the 47 zones. Included in the ruling are the aqueduct and the bridge of the King, the mill of Peralta and the zone of Los Ballesteros.

EL TORNILLO, NATURAL MONUMENT

The Environment Department of regional government has informed Antequera Town Hall that it has started the procedure to declare the 'El Tornillo' (The screw) a rock formation in the El Torcal nature park - as an official natural monument.

The declaration is official recognition of the 'singularity' of the natural phenomenon and once obtained will mean greater protection and enforce restrictions on public access to the site. The El Torcal park covers 17 square kilometres and boasts many strange rock formations, especially in the higher area.

ALMUNECAR INVESTS TO LEAD TOURISM

The Granada coastal town of Almuñecar is keen to increase its rating as a tourist destination and now plans to spend more than 2,000 million pesetas in an ambitious project to put it at the head of tourist destinations.

The development of 227,000 square metres of land close to the Verde River is at the heart of the plan. Councillor for town planning, Manuel Robollo, has said the town must move ahead with new installations and infrastructures of the highest quality, which can operate year round and attend to the needs of the local and visiting population. Some of these developments are already underway while others remain at the drawing board stage.

NEW PROJECTS

Star project is for a new bullring, which will also contain a commercial centre and will cost over 470 million pesetas to build. It will have a capacity of over 9,000 and the flexibility to host many other events. Work starts after the summer on a site next to the N340 and the river, and is expected to take two years to complete.

Nearby, a new football pitch, children's park and garden areas are all planned together with new facilities such as a new fire station, health centre and secondary school. A new covered heated swimming pool will also be completed shortly. Located close to San Critstóbal beach in the town the project has cost 330 million pesetas and with the local council hopes to attract swimming competitions and galas, especially during the winter months.

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