Now that the 2026 Madrid International Tourism Fair (FITUR) has ended, Manilva Town Hall has taken stock of its participation, which was marked by institutional responsibility, sensitivity in the wake of the tragic rail accident last week and an intensive working agenda focused on the future development of the municipality.
Out of respect for the victims and for their families’ mourning, the Town Hall cancelled its planned promotional agenda and avoided any kind of public exposure, limiting its presence to showcasing Manilva as a destination at the Costa del Sol stand. This decision meant the cancellation of events such as the presentation of the promotional video for both Manilva and the Golf la Duquesa club, the promotional parade around Fitur, the venenciadores’ exhibition and the wine tasting, and the representation at the Ruta Blas Infante, among other promotional activities.
Despite this, the municipal delegation carried out professional, discreet and effective work, also halving both the cost of the stay at FITUR and the number of staff sent. The work focused on holding strategic meetings that proved highly productive and beneficial for the town’s interests.
The mayor of Manilva, Mario Jiménez, accompanied by the councillors for Urban Planning and Tourism, Juan Carlos Morejón and Agustín Vargas, held more than ten meetings, both inside and outside the exhibition grounds, at which the foundations were laid for key projects and agreements for the future of the municipality.
Among the main issues discussed were the offer of municipal land with real potential for the construction of VPO (subsidised housing), the arrival of new hotel chains and the promotion of a quality, sustainable tourism model. These meetings, organised and scheduled in advance to coincide with FITUR, have aroused considerable interest among major companies in the property and tourism sectors.
Top-level firms such as Comunidades Santa Gema, Spain’s leading subsidised housing group, as well as well-known hotel chains such as Hilton, Valentín, Barceló, NH and Leonardo, have shown their willingness to continue moving these projects forward and will return the visit to Manilva to explore future collaboration in greater depth.
Concrete progress on subsidised housing following the contacts at FITUR
As a direct result of the meetings held at FITUR, Comunidades Santa Gema, the largest builder of Vivienda de Protección Oficial (VPO, subsidised housing) in Spain, will visit Manilva on 2 February to see first-hand the land proposed by the Town Hall.
For the first time, the Town Hall carried out prior technical work, analysing and documenting the proposal to present it at the Madrid International Tourism Fair. During the meetings held at FITUR, the Urban Planning councillor, Juan Carlos Morejón, presented a comprehensive dossier with 14 plots earmarked for both hotel land and the construction of VPO housing.
The proposal has aroused considerable interest among developers and companies in the sector, as it envisages a development model aimed at attracting investment, creating jobs and strengthening the municipality’s economic growth.
During the planned visit, the mayor of Manilva, Mario Jiménez, together with the Urban Planning councillor and the Housing councillor, Eva Galindo, will receive the heads of Comunidades Santa Gema to move forward on projects linked to the construction of subsidised housing, taking a firm step towards putting into practice the lines of work begun at FITUR.
The Town Hall takes a very positive view of a FITUR participation which, despite the exceptional circumstances, has helped strengthen the municipality’s profile, consolidate strategic contacts and position Manilva as a benchmark for responsible tourism, balanced development and committed institutional management.
