Mijas pitches golf and food to British travel market

Mijas took its golf, food and nature offer to the World Travel Market in London on 3 November. Mayor Ana Mata led the visit. She said British guests are the town’s largest foreign market.

Mata and tourism councillor Francisco Jerez worked at the Costa del Sol stand in the ExCeL centre. The talks were part of the town’s 2026 campaign, called “Where life flows”.

Golf leads the winter offer

Mijas has 12 golf courses. Mata said they were the town’s main draw for British visitors and were in strong demand during winter. She described that season as the busiest time for British golf tourism.

The campaign also covers health and nature trips. It links the Sierra de Mijas with the coast and gives the town a wider offer beyond sport.

Mata said visitors from the United Kingdom had chosen Mijas for holidays for decades. She argued that the town should support that demand through long-term planning with local businesses.

Food, beaches and local business

The council is also placing more weight on food. Mata said dining had become an important reason for travellers when they choose one place over another.

A local group of the council and tourism firms is studying an annual food event. Mijas Lab meets every three months to discuss business needs and problems in the sector. Its proposed event would feature local produce, cooking and the quality of the town’s restaurants. The plan is still under study.

The council’s campaign also points to 14 kilometres of coastline and five beaches with Blue Flag awards. Mijas holds nine other quality and sustainability distinctions, according to the town hall.

Tourism figures for Spain

National figures show the size of the British market, but they do not count visits to Mijas. Spain received 12,256,087 tourists from abroad in August 2026, the National Statistics Institute said. Of those, 2,411,209 came from the United Kingdom, up 9.3% from a year earlier.

From January to August, Spain received 70,362,493 visitors from abroad. Tourists from other countries spent €17,838 million in August, up 9.16% on the year.

Mata said Mijas was using the London fair to deepen ties with the British travel trade. She described the event as useful for raising the town’s profile within the wider Costa del Sol offer.

Sources: Mijas Town Hall, Andalucía Información and INE.