New hope for 7-million-euro holiday complex in inland Malaga town after being closed for more than two decades
Originally developed by the Junta, the town hall will rent out the Villa Turística to an operator who has agreed to pay 75,000 euros per annum for a period of 40 years
Many parts of Spain, Andalucía and Malaga province are full of public investments that have served absolutely no purpose, becoming a real waste of funds. In the Axarquia area, the famous Vélez-Málaga tramway, which stopped running in 2012, after an investment of 40 million euros, is closely followed by the Villa Turística de Periana, a holiday complex which until last year was owned by the regional government. It cost seven million euros to build and has been closed for a whopping 22 years, having been open for just five years, between 1998 and 2003.
In April 2024, the tourist complex was handed over to Periana town hall, having previously been owned by the Junta de Andalucía. In March of this year the town hall put out to tender a rental contract with a starting price of 36,300 euros per year and a maximum period of 40 years. However, the lessee will have to undertake a major investment to bring them up to standard, estimated, according to the technical reports to which SUR has had access, at around 2.6 million euros.
It was built in the early 1990s and involved an initial investment of 3.3 million euros.
A small number of companies submitted bids and the contract has been awarded to Moka Digiteck S. L. for a price of 75,000 euros, IVA sales tax not included, after being the only one to meet the requirements of the tender. This agreement has already been published in the Official Bulletin of the Province of Malaga (BOPMA), as announced by Periana town hall through its social media. This is a key step towards the reopening of the property for tourist use. The company awarded the contract must now present a plan to carry out reforms to the complex within a maximum period of 20 working days and sign the lease contract within the same period.
"An important step"
The town hall said via social media that this is "an important step towards preserving our heritage and at the same time moving towards the future. This achievement is the result of the work we have been doing and reflects our firm commitment to the conservation of our heritage and the future development of our town".
"The viability of the project is guaranteed as long as the concession term is for 37 years"
The Villa Turística de Periana is located about three kilometres from the main town, in the hamlet of Cortijo Blanco. It is made up of 20 two-bedroom terraced houses, six one-bedroom houses and 14 double rooms, as well as a main building in which the reception, cafeteria, social area, meeting rooms and restaurant were located. It also has a swimming pool and garden, among other facilities.
It was built in the early 1990s and involved an initial investment of 3.3 million euros. After four years of inactivity, in 2007 the Junta de Andalucía contracted various projects to modernise the complex for a further three million euros. From 2011 until last year it was guarded 24 hours a day by operators contracted by the Junta de Andalucía, through a security company. The town hall has been in charge of these security and basic maintenance costs since it regained ownership.
"It will be a boost for tourism in the area and will put us on the inland tourism map"
Mayor of Periana Mertixell Vizuete said that the reopening of the Villa Turística is one of the great challenges that have been pending for more than two decades and that if it is achieved "it will be a boost for tourism in the area". Vizuete, who took over after Rafael Turrubia died of a heart attack in June 2024, estimated that it could create around twenty jobs "and put us on the inland tourism map".
