British ambassador to Spain visits Estepona to strengthen relationships

Estepona mayor José María García Urbano and Britain's ambassador in Spain Alex Ellis discussed the cooperation between British residents and the municipality during a meeting held at the town hall on Monday. The UK and Estepona have strong links, which impact both tourism and residential property, they stressed.

The visit to Estepona followed the ambassador's meetings with the mayors of Algeciras and La Línea in the Campo de Gibraltar.

During the meeting, topics of mutual interest were discussed, such as the integration of the British in the town, the positive impact of British tourism on the local economy and opportunities for cultural and social collaboration.

The mayor stated that "one in five tourists staying in hotels in Estepona is British", which makes the UK market a significant source for the local tourism sector. "This reflects the strong connection that exists between our municipality and the UK, both in terms of tourism and socially," the mayor said.

Following the official reception with the mayor, the ambassador met with representatives of key organisations supporting British nationals in Spain, including Age Concern Estepona and Manilva, foreigners’ association AREME, International Club Estepona (ICE), Club Charity and Pleasure (CAP) Estepona and ACE and the American Club of Estepona (90% of whose members are British).

"It was a privilege to meet dedicated individuals whose work makes a difference to British nationals in Estepona. Their generosity, resilience and close collaboration are deeply valued by our consular team," said the ambassador.

The conversations with the British representatives focused on improving access to services for older British residents, strengthening community networks and ensuring continued support.

Currently, a total of 4,529 British citizens are registered in Estepona, representing approximately 6% of the municipality's total population. It is an active and integrated community that regularly participates in the local associations mentioned above as well as animal welfare organisations such as Adana and Agya, where the majority of volunteers are also British.

Ambassador Alex Ellis highlighted the role of the British community as a bridge between the two countries and expressed his gratitude for the municipality's welcome and hospitality towards British residents.

In terms of tourism, the UK continues to be the main source market for visitors to the Costa del Sol. In 2024, 2.83 billion British tourists arrived at Malaga Airport, representing 22.9% of total passengers - 6.5% more compared to 2023. The main airports of origin were London (40.4%), Manchester (10.7%), Bristol (7%), Birmingham (6.3%) and Glasgow (5.4%).

Alex Ellis's visit "enhances Estepona's international positioning as an open, modern, sustainable and welcoming town, where cultural diversity enriches coexistence and local development", said the mayor.

García Urbano announced that the town hall will continue to promote initiatives aimed at foreign residents.