Changes in Marbella tourism?

"It used to be a quiet and luxurious resort town on the Mediterranean coast, with a boardwalk lined with luxury brand shops for the wealthy. Now, Marbella is changing their tourism policy by seeking revenue from basic tourism leisure activities, sun and beach, like other coastal towns such as Benidorm. They are leaving behind the concept of luxury tourism that made the town famous decades ago”, according to Evasion, as published by the newspaper El Economista.

The Delegation for Beaches of City Council of Marbella "has decided to switch the large yachts for floating platforms designed for children’s play this summer, a radical change from the glamour of the town a few years ago.”

These floating platforms are powered by noisy generators that have nothing to do with the idyllic landscape, perfect for relaxing and resting, that was the town’s beaches main draw.

After the Harbormaster gave the go ahead, the flashy structures were installed in three of the most popular beaches: El Rodeito, located in Nueva Andalucía, Venus and Las Chapas, between two of the beach’s bars, ‘Las Mimosas’ and ‘El Lido”.

Three large 800 square meters floating structures, filled with slides and play areas destined for the youngest tourists’ enjoyment are located twenty meters away from the shore, according to Sur.

This new amusement for children is not free. Local entrepreneurs, who will be running the floating platforms until the end of September, are selling tickets on the beach.

What’s yet to be seen is that if continuing with this policy will scare away the type of tourism that has made Marbella famous worldwide and that has given town entrepreneurs the chance to make big revenue. It might turn Marbella into ‘South Benidorm’. The new policy seems an effort to diversify Marbella’s touristic appeal.