The mayor of Mijas, Josele González (PSOE), and the councillors for Town Planning and Tourism, and Infrastructure and Works, Andrés Ruiz (C’s) and José Carlos Martín (C’s), respectively, attended this week the beginning of the renovation works of the emblematic Hotel Byblos together with the head of investment management for Intriva in the Iberian Peninsula, Luis Domínguez. “The recovery of this galactic hotel is great news for our municipality. The fact that it was an icon and international benchmark for the hotel industry and a hallmark of the Costa del Sol’s quality offer for tourism which will reopen its doors, will position our city worldwide”, said the mayor, who added that: “This opening, which is planned for next year, will also mean the tourist reactivation of the entire province and the creation of around 200 direct jobs and as many indirect jobs, something fundamental in these complex times in which the tourism sector has been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic”. The hotel is located in the Mijas Golf urbanisation and will have around 200 rooms. “From the Department for Town Planning, we have issued one of the most hopeful building licenses in recent years because it means the generation of employment and wealth with a star project that will arrive to reactivate the local and provincial economy. It has not been easy due to the problems that the property has had for ten years, but now its implementation is a reality. We will continue to work closely with the promoters so that the opening in the spring of 2022 is feasible”, said Ruiz.

Likewise, Martín highlighted that “Byblos is a benchmark that helps to overcome seasonality with such outstanding elements as the practice of golf, a tourist segment that we are promoting from the Local Council as it is a great ally to attract tourists and visitors who feel safe practicing this type of outdoor sports after the pandemic”, to which he added: “the positive aspect for the municipality as is the growth of the hotel offer, which results in overnight stays and, in turn, in the increase in consumption in the location”. In this regard, the provincial delegate for Tourism of the Andalusian Government, Nuria Rodríguez, stressed that the Costa del Sol, and Mijas in particular, continue to attract the interest of many investors, in this case related to the tourism sector. Rodríguez recalled that the Byblos hotel “was a flagship for international tourism and at the same time it has been a historical milestone for both quality tourism and luxury tourism. I am convinced that it will be again”. For his part, the spokesperson for the Partido Popular Municipal Group, Ángel Nozal, stressed the importance of Mijas having a new 5-star hotel, with options to become a 5-star plus. However, Nozal considers as “very necessary to improve access to this hotel through the Camino de Coín, which currently has unpainted sections, without lighting and without zebra crossings”.

 

Source: Mijas Semanal