As 2015 draws towards an end, now is a good time to look at some of the trends seen through the year.
In Marbella and the Costa del Sol we are happy to say that 2015 has been a positive year in several ways that are all good news for the region. The property market has continued to strengthen as it has been doing for the past three years in what is acknowledged as one of the property hotspots that has been leading the Spanish real estate sector out of recession.
New real estate projects for Marbella
Marbella in particular now has a shortage of new build properties, which in turn has encouraged developers to start developing contemporary projects. In November the Colegio de Arquitectos (Spanish College of Architects) reported that Málaga province saw a total of 1,792 building permits approved in the first nine months of the year, with 444 of them in Marbella—including six residential developments with a total of 200 apartments. This is in keeping with what Residencia Estates has experienced, as new modern properties currently sell very quickly once they are available.
Another trend seen in the region has been the ever rising number of tourists visiting the Costa del Sol. 2014 went into the record books as the best year ever for visitor numbers, but 2015 built on that for an even bigger record. This bodes well for the economy of Marbella and the Costa del Sol, with President of the Málaga and Costa del Sol tourism board, Elias Bendodo, forecasting the year will end with a total of 10.5 million visitors to the region (up 3.7 per cent on 2014)—their collective spending up 5.4 per cent to €11.4 billion.
Environmental protection on the Costa del Sol
There was good news for the environment too, as we reported in earlier blogs. The seabed off Calahonda was declared a Special Conservation Zone due to its unique marine ecology and varied fauna, while exploration for gas and oil nearby was abandoned after several years of protests from fishermen, environmentalists and the tourism industry.
In addition, the best-preserved dunes in Malaga province—those that stretch from Río Real to Puerto Cabopino in East Marbella—were officially protected and declared a Reserva Ecológica (Ecological Reserve).
2015 has been good to Marbella and the Costa del Sol, and we look forward to an even better 2016. If you would like to share in the Marbella lifestyle, we have a handpicked selection of villas, apartments and townhouses for sale in all the best areas. Please contact us and we can discuss your requirements.