Marbella prepares to transform its historic first tourist office into a multipurpose space

On March 23, the rehabilitation of the Marbella Lighthouse facilities as a public space was inaugurated, a project that has allowed the integration of the new and modern premises of the Tourism delegation in this location. Just two weeks later, the city, now a national and international emblem of quality tourism, is preparing to transform what was its first office dedicated to serving those visiting Marbella.

The building, dating from 1960 and possessing, due to its use, undeniable "historical and symbolic value," is now on its way to becoming a multipurpose space that will combine its current use with cultural purposes. For the City Council, the La Fontanilla building is "a representative element of the evolution that Marbella has experienced as a destination," therefore "its recovery helps to preserve the historical legacy and integrate it into the current tourist-cultural narrative of the city."

The goal is to transform the "underutilized" La Fontanilla building into a "strategic tourist-cultural asset"

The Marbella City Council has awarded the company Sociedad Andaluza de Servicios Múltiples the contract for this project for €284,103.28, which must be completed within four months from the start of the construction, according to the terms of the contract. The intervention is included in the framework of the Extraordinary Program for Tourism Sustainability in Destinations 2021-2023 and is fully funded by the European Union through the Next Generation–EU funds, as part of Spain's Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.

The planned intervention in the La Fontanilla building aims at the recovery and rehabilitation of the property that housed the city's first tourism office and is currently "underutilized," to transform it into a "strategic tourist-cultural asset" that will be "aligned with the trends of diversifying the offer and urban sustainability," explains the City Council. The new space will allow for cultural activities such as exhibitions, tourist events, or new information points. "The goal is to diversify the destination's offerings by promoting a tourism model focused on meaningful interaction with the local environment, sustainable and territorially distributed," the project summary states.

Environment and Heritage

The rehabilitation also represents a valorization of the immediate urban environment, which achieves "avoiding unnecessary urban expansion," in addition to "reactivating urban spaces with high tourist, economic, and social potential," the City Council points out.

"The intervention shows a commitment to the preservation of heritage, respect for local culture, and modernization of the destination, enhancing its appeal to tourists interested in cultural activities, valorization of historical-artistic heritage, and the search for local authenticity," summarizes the Marbella City Council. Thus, they add, it "avoids new constructions" while prioritizing rehabilitation under criteria of energy efficiency, accessibility, and functionality.