Marbella New Digital Era is Here - Since 2013, Marbella has been taking many steps forward towards technological perfection, thanks to the new Digital initiative to make Marbella a Smart City, and more so a Smart Tourist Destination. New measures are being introduced, aimed at making life run more smoothly for residents and visitors, including better infrastructure and more transparent public services.
Marbella is well known throughout the world, and has helped carried Spain out of economic turmoil. One of the best examples of this is the Marbella property market, which has helped Andalucia and the country rise from the ashes of a deep recession. Thanks in part to foreign investors buying property on the Costa del Sol, and Marbella being a city known for its constant growth. Now, in 2016 we are witnessing Marbella take on a new digital era, meant to increase wealth and more employment opportunities.
A New Digital Era for Marbella, and the Costa del Sol
The Marbella smarter city scheme has been in effect since 2013. The aim is to make Marbella more connected and in-tune with today’s growing technologies in the digital world. For now, Marbella is well on track for the projected growth by the year 2022.
Part of the plan is building confidence once again within the public domain. This includes helping small businesses with their digital duties. The aim is to make things run a bit smoother when it comes to bureaucratic tasks, and to cut red tape.
The Marbella Smart City scheme is designed to help the city (and Spain) keep up with the growing trends in technology, which includes better technology and faster connectivity. A Smart Tourist Destination is also part of the bigger plan, and just last week SEGITTUR and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce launched its new tourist app guide.
The tourist apps guide has 224 user-friendly applications and was jointly launched in part with the Ministry of Industry & Energy and Tourism. The apps will provide better selections for services and products throughout the city including cultural buildings and major tourist’s spots. The guide has been divided into seven categories - transportation, accommodation, entertainment and dining, adventure tourism, destination guide and utilities and applications 'smartwatch'.
This year, it incorporates a selection of 29 apps for 'smartwatch' including those related to flight bookings, accommodation and knowing a destination. Those visiting the hot spots or cultural buildings around the city will take notice of QR Codes, which allows visitors to access information even when the buildings are closed. Marbella’s Smart City initiative promotes a safer environment and helps make visiting the city more enjoyable for everyone.
A spokesman from the Segittur describes the innovative tourist’s destination as a “framework of cutting-edge infrastructure, which ensures the sustainable development of the tourist area. It is accessible to everyone, and facilitates the visitor’s interaction and integration with their environment, increasing the quality of their experience.”
A Smart City means Growth and Better Employment Opportunities for Marbella
Marbella is a city known for trending, and keeping up with appearances. Over the past 5 years or so, Marbella has been an economic beacon to the rest of the country. The previous Mayor of Marbella, Angeles Munoz, planned many innovative activities for the city, which includes the Smart City, and Smart City Tourists Destination. The property market as well has improved dramatically here on the Costa del Sol, with more foreign investors buying Marbella property. Also, thanks in part to record breaking tourists over the past two years, the Costa del Sol in general is set to only improve from this moment forward.