Mijas is, without a doubt, one of the main destinations chosen by the British, therefore, we must keep working on this tourist market. This Wednesday a group of tour operators visited the village, with the help of 15 students of the Mitur Employment and Training programme, a course which provides a certificate of professionalism in tourism, tourism development and information and which has been launched through the areas of Employment Promotion and Tourism. 

The first stop was a must: the El Compás Hermitage, which is the sanctuary of the patron saint of Mijas, the Virgen de la Peña. There the students explained what this place means to the people of Mijas and other details, such as the legend that narrates the appearance of the Virgin to some little shepherds and the fact that a castle was erected in this area. Raúl Criado, one of the students, was in charge of explaining, among other things, where the name of Mijas comes from, as well as some of the most popular and outstanding local traditions and customs. "We have prepared a special guide around the village, visiting 16 of the most emblematic spots, in each of the places there will be a student in charge of explaining that area to the visitors. In addition, along the way we are going to tell them some curiosities, stories and tales about the village", said the student.

The councillor for Tourism in Mijas, Francisco Jerez (Vox), also took part in the guided tour, he was in charge of welcoming both groups. "It is a combination of a group of British tour operators, who are the ones who can bring us more tourists in the future, and the students who are training to work in this sector", said Jerez. 

Tour in English 

Those in charge of the course assure that "the students have prepared the visit thoroughly, they have studied every corner, they have researched deeply about the history, legends and resources of Mijas, to explain everything in detail and in English to these professionals of the sector", said María del Mar Campaña, employment counsellor of the Mitur programme, who added that "the idea came from a collaboration with the Tourism area, that told us that a group of tour operators were coming and needed someone to show them the town and that is how this practical experience started. It should be noted that they also receive an English certificate".

Andrew Farr, Head of Public Relations for the Classic Collection Holidays tour operator, pointed out that "this is a visit from some of the leading British travel agents", and noted that "we are really enjoying it so far, we are staying at La Zambra, which is fabulous, it has wonderful hospitality, overlooking the golf courses, plus what we are seeing so far of Mijas is very nice, the village, the sea views... fabulous". 

This guided tour is part of the initiatives scheduled during the Mitur programme, the course started in May and will end in June 2025. The aim of this activity is to put into practice the knowledge of the students, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, to highlight the differentiating features of Mijas as a tourist destination.

British market 

It is a fact that in Mijas there are more than 8,000 British residents, which represents 10% of the town's population, and that tourists from the United Kingdom is the main source market for foreign travellers. Jerez stressed that the objective is to open up to all potential markets but looking towards quality tourism, "which is the one who dines in good restaurants, who goes to good hotels, who comes to play golf, and who goes shopping, at the end of the day, is the one who boosts the economy", concluded the councillor for Tourism. 

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