Marbella partying – music to our ears!
Confirmed as the world’s third most popular party destination, Marbella is becoming an affordable magnet for hen and stag parties, according to UK-based Redseven Leisure. This coincides with the Reputation Institute’s recent analysis of the Spain brand, highlighting the country’s image abroad as sociable, sensual, entertaining and glamorous. By turning these very assets into hard currency, Spain could adopt an all-out strategy staking its rightful claim as the ‘Celebration Capital’ of the world.
Using Ibiza’s global party fame as a springboard, Spain’s countless fiestas celebrating every conceivable cause in every town and pueblo every week (day?) of the year could be much more widely publicised to overseas visitors, as genuine attractions with an intriguing array of events suiting every age, nationality and cultural leaning: ‘Whatever, whenever you’re celebrating, Spain’s the place to do it!’
Yet unique major events such as Valencia’s upcoming Las Fallas fire festival (March), Tomatina tomato fight (August), and the Pamplona bull run (July) seem to be among the too few well-known fiestas outsiders ever hear about.
Flamenco, paella, sangria, sun, sand, sea etc. are deeply instilled in the world’s mind, tourism infrastructure is in place so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, and incoming revenues would be bolstered under a concerted effort to promote partying as a serious cultural export.
As a reformed hedonist who’s done more than their fair share of professional partying – Rio Carnival, Thailand’s Full Moon parties, Goa’s beach parties, New York, LA…not to mention London, Amsterdam, Ibiza, Tenerife, Barcelona, Marbella closer to home – Spain’s capacity for celebrating is tireless, and with imaginative targeting, innovative branding and reputation building over time, could easily surpass the world’s best party hotspots and reap the ensuing monetary rewards.
Concerns about hen and stag parties compromising Marbella’s image? Not at all! More such niche markets should be encouraged. And as an antidote to the crisis, what better pick-me-up?
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions expressed within this guest article are those of the author Chris Dove alone and do not represent those of the Marbella Marbella website. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to Chris Dove and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with the author.
