Torremolinos mayor calls for revenues to remain in Torremolinos

Torremolinos Mayor Margarita del Cid has proposed that improving financial support for tourist destinations, particularly through reallocating VAT revenue, could counter rising ‘tourism-phobia.’ 

Speaking at the SolyTUR conference in Madrid, Del Cid presented the strategy during a panel titled ‘A New Model Based on Environmental and Social Commitment.’ ‘Torremolinos has an advantage,’ she said, ‘tourism is woven into our identity,’ referencing the town’s evolution from a fishing village in the 1950s to a global sun-and-beach hotspot. She said that better funding will highlight the economic value of tourism, which would reduce local resentment. 

‘The VAT collected from holidaymakers’ spending should go to the towns generating it,’ she expressed, noting that 40 percent of Costa del Sol’s lodging, more than 54,000 beds, is in Torremolinos. The mayor highlighted that January was a record month, with 50% hotel occupancy, and 1,713 job creations in the tourism industry. He emphasized the role of tourism as a source of employment. She also revealed a €50 million hotel renovation investment planned for 2025-2026, a sum she called ‘unmanageable’ for local government alone, inviting the private-sector to participate.

Del Cid has linked better funding to urban renewal, which is a major focus of the recently announced plan for European funds. This plan targets street upgrades, social and environmental improvement, as well as mobility. ‘Boosting tourism financing is the best antidote to tourism-phobia,’ she concluded, advocating for a model that balances economic growth with community well-being in one of Spain’s top destinations.