About us

The Costa del Sol Tourist Board is in the heart of Málaga's historic district, in Plaza del Siglo, 2, within walking distance to the Cathedral, Picasso Museum, Roman Theatre and the Alcazaba. The new offices are housed in a historic building that belonged to Espejo Hermanos from the early twentieth century.

One of the main goals of the Costa del Sol Tourist Board is to define tourism policies that support sustainable tourism as well as to act efficiently and effectively in the national and international travel market to attract visitors to our province. The organization promotes the study of Málaga Province’s tourism matters both directly and through dedicated agencies. 

In addition the Tourist Board coordinates individual and collective efforts, calling public and private agencies to take part in the preparation of plans they agree upon. Also, it raises awareness about the tourism interests of the province, preventing everything that might harm these interests within the provincial boundaries.

The Costa del Sol Tourist Board also aims at encouraging people and institutions to understand and show respect for the travel industry and its importance to our society.

The Málaga Provincial Government and all the assembly members, the Department of Tourism and Sports of the Government of Andalusia, Turespaña, all public agencies and municipalities that are part of the tourism sector, businesses and business associations like AEHCOS (Association of Hoteliers of the Costa del Sol), AEDAV (Association of Travel Agencies), AEHMA (Association of Restaurant Operators), and other associations gathering beach restaurants, leisure and entertainment, housing developers, and so on.

Further members of the Tourist Board are the University of Málaga, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Shipping, the Port Authority, Málaga Airport, trade unions related to the tourism sector, businesses in the different tourism industry segments, persons who stand out in the fields of business, culture or the arts and chosen by the provincial government for their contribution to the development of tourism on the Costa del Sol.

The General Assembly is the supreme governing body, made of all the members. The Steering Committee is a collegial body whose members discuss and plan tourism policies, and manage the Tourist Board. The Steering Committee’s members are the president of the provincial government, a representative of all political parties that conform the provincial government, representatives of town councils, associations of town councils, representative of the Department of Tourism, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, University, Port Authority, Airport, etc. As to the private sector, 60 percent of the Steering Committee’s members belong to business associations in the tourism industry, while the remaining 40 percent are elected in a general assembly by the members of the Tourist Board.

The Permanent Committee is the management body. It reports to the Steering Committee, and is formed by the president, the first vice-president, seven members of the Steering Committee and seven representatives from the private sector, plus a representative of the Convention Bureau.

The secretary is the general manager of the Tourist Board.

The organisational structure of the Málaga-Costa del Sol Tourist Board comprises four business areas (whose acronyms correspond to their names in Spanish): VAOR (Holiday, Leisure and Residential Tourism), CBEG (Convention Bureau, Elite Travel and Golf), CUCI (Cultural Tourism, Cruising and Language Tourism) and VITA (Green Tourism, Hinterland and Active Travel). To these we should add the Departments of Finance, Administration and Promotion, Technology Services, and Communication.

The work document on which the departments base their work is the annual Action Plan, approved in the general assembly.

On the basis of the Cooperative of Costa del Sol Promotion Agencies, on April 29, 1976, the Costa del Sol Tourist Board was created within the frame of Law 191/1964, of December 24. Its first articles of association state that it is aimed at “promoting the development of a consortium made up by private companies, leading local tourism institutions, and national government agencies.”

As stated in the foundation meeting, the Tourist Board was created “after the need for an immediate response to the problems in the tourism industry.”

It was only in June 1978 that the Civil Government of Málaga registered the Costa del Sol Tourist Board in the Register of Associations. A few months later, the first amendments were made to its articles of association. Further amendments would come later, in 1983, 1989, 1993, 1996, and 2000. The affiliation requirements and the governing bodies –Permanent Committee, Board of Directors, General Assembly–, however, were never modified.

The first president of the Tourist Board was the civil governor of Málaga. He was followed by leading men in the local travel industry who were also part of the history of the Costa del Sol, such as Agustín Picazo, José Galeote, Rafael Núñez, or Ángel Carazo.

1989 marked a turning point in the history of the Costa del Sol tourism promotion agency. With the accession of Antonio Maldonado to the executive of the provincial government of Málaga, and in view of the economic hardships the Tourist Board had faced since its inception, it was agreed that the provincial government should become a “majority partner,” contributing most of the institution’s funds and raising them by the year. Since then, the president of the Tourist Board has been the head of the provincial government.

The executive power of the Tourist Board is exercised by the managing director. This office has been held by Carlos Gil, José Juan Abrines, Juan Antonio Castillo, Antonio Andrade, Felipe Paramio, Ana Gómez (the first woman), Juan Antonio Martín, Antonio Díaz, and Ana Gómez again. Currently, this position is being held by Arturo Bernal.

It would be impossible to mention all the events in the Tourist Board’s 25-year history. Besides its presence in all general and special travel shows and fairs, and the planning of activities in Málaga and beyond, there are some that have changed the flow of history for the Costa del Sol tourism industry.

The first important tourism event held on the Costa del Sol was the annual conference of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) in 1978. ABTA held their annual conference in Málaga again in 1998. Other breakthrough events included the conferences of the Confederation of Latin American Tourism Organisations (COTAL) and the German Travel Association (DRV), world-class shows like World Dance Costa del Sol or Rolling Stones, and international golf tournaments. They have all contributed to turn the Costa del Sol into the leading travel destination in peninsular Spain.

With regard to advertising, “Sunbook” can be said to be the best-known product. It took the Costa del Sol to every corner on earth. Likewise, the “Sun Bus” rode for thousands of kilometres across Spanish territory wooing Spanish tourists, and successfully bringing them to Málaga.

Also, throughout the years, hundreds of journalists have been invited to visit the Costa del Sol and then write articles about it. On the whole, press trips have proved to be highly effective.

Costa del Sol Convention Bureau

It is the visible face of the organisation and corporation market and is supported by the local community, the private and public sectors. It offers consulting services, provides information, develops new products in a transparent and reliable manner.

The Costa del Sol Convention Bureau has a professional team that help conference planners organise their events through all their steps:

• Help and assistance in candidate nominations.
• Relations with cooperating companies.
• Information and promotional material free of charge.
• Support in event advertising through the Costa del Sol Tourist Board's Communications Department.
• MIMA Gold Award UK 2005: Best Marketing Campaign.
• MIMA Gold Award UK 2005: Best Public Relations Campaign
• MIMA Silver Award UK 2005:Best Promotional Catalogue
• Ejecutivo 2003 Awards: Best Travel Destination Promotion Management

Convention Bureau website

Convention Bureau Members

ADVANTAGES OF BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE MÁLAGA-COSTA DEL SOL TOURIST BOARD

What are the advantages of becoming a member?

Members of the Málaga-Costa del Sol Tourist Board have many advantages. These are the main benefits:

OFFLINE

• Participation in promotional activities organised by the Tourist Board at no cost or reduced rates.
• Participation in fam trips for domestic and international travel agents, and press trips, advertising their business.
• Business opportunities associated with service hiring by the Tourist Board.
• Access to the Tourist Board’s HD audio visual materials at no cost or reduced rates.
• Access to promotional materials of the travel destination for marketing activities.
• Use of the Tourist Board’s facilities for events or meetings.
• Free unlimited use to the information in databases of Spanish travel companies (in compliance with the Organic Law on Data Protection, LOPD).
• Release of joint press releases announcing new services or venues.
• Participation in the drafting of action and marketing plans for the travel destination.
• Participation and vote in the General Assembly and access to the Steering Committee.
• Access to studies carried out by the Costa del Sol Tourist Board (Marketing Plan, Tourism Observatory, market surveys, opinion polls, and so on).
• Access to business reports from promotion experts after business actions.

ONLINE

• Free unlimited access to the HD image bank of the travel destination.
• Free unlimited access to the text database of the travel destination.
• Publication of a georeferenced file of their business in the Destination Management System (DMS) in www.visitcostadelsol.com, with access to the extranet.
• Access to the extranet for updated information on tourist attraction and hotel availability.
• Real-time sales with the DMS on www.visitcostadelsol.com (for some business categories only).
• Inclusion of graphics (banners) in the DMS on www.visitcostadelsol.com at no cost or reduced rates.
• Appealing offers and deals sent to the travel destination’s followers in social media.
• Link to the data sheet of their business in the e-newsletter.
• Inclusion in the Members section of www.visitcostadelsol.com with business description, images, contact details and link to corporate/business  website.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Málaga-Costa del Sol Tourist Board,
 or if you need more information, please write an email to asociarse@visitacostadelsol.com