The Mijas Lab-Tourism Cluster, a bimonthly working group comprising the Mijas Town Hall and business representatives from the municipality’s tourism sector, analysed this week the expected impact of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, which will close the 2026 Ladies European Tour season in November at La Cala Resort, and will be broadcast live in over 150 countries worldwide. 

In this regard, members of the working group were informed that this tournament attracts global attention from fans of the sport and tourists who will potentially consider Mijas, with its 12 golf courses, a priority destination to visit and play, especially during the winter months. It is worth noting that golf tourists have one of the highest average daily expenditures in the industry.

 

The mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata (PP), explained that a sector as productive as tourism, with great potential growth, and with Mijas at the heart of the Costa del Sol, must strengthen its role as a lever for generating economic growth and employment: “This body is essential for generating synergies between public administratios and business initiatives, and creating job opportunities for Mijas residents, because we will be a more important destination through private cooperation”.

For his part, the councillor for Tourism, Francisco Jerez (Vox), valued Mijas Lab as a tool “that allows the municipal institution to maintain its link with tourism to support the promotion of the municipality abroad, which is the main role of the department: selling the destination so that tourists visit, especially in the low season, which is when we most need to ensure that hotels, restaurants, golf courses, taxis and all of Mijas’s tourist resources are operating at full capacity.

Topics discussed

In addition, the working group also assessed the positive start to the high season following Easter, and analysed the industry’s main needs to improve the overall visitor experience to offer them a comprehensive product that builds loyalty among tourists with high purchasing power.

Challenges such as mobility, diversification of the offering, the introduction of health, nature or sensory attractions, and security were among the topics addressed on Thursday 21st at the second meeting, attended by fifteen of the municipality’s leading business entities.

 

Among the topics analysed, the state of the beaches following the sand regeneration investments carried out by Mijas Town Hall and the irrigation of golf courses with recycled water also stood out.

Furthermore, Mijas Lab analysed the municipality’s 2026 beach plan, detailed by the responsible municipal technicians, which contains all the services and advantages that the municipal coastline makes available to users during the current high season, from lifeguards to toilets, bins, surveillance or cleaning, among many others. 

 

Second edition

The second meeting of the Mijas Lab-Tourism Cluster took place at La Zambra hotel and was attended by representatives in Mijas from the Costa del Sol Hotel Entrepreneurs Association (Aehcos); the Malaga Hospitality Association (Mahos); the Beach Business Association (Aeplayas) and the Mijas Beach Business Association.

Also participating were executives from the Mijas Golf Clubs Association; the Málaga Tourist Guides Association; Exploramás; the Mijas Leisure Industries Centre (CIO); the Andalusian Car Rental Business Association; Investur; Cepyme Mijas-Fuengirola; the Mijas Business Circle; the Mijas Radiotaxi Association; and the Mijas Craft Association.

 

Share it with this link: https://mijasint.com/?a=38190