Why Marbella is the new testing ground for Spain’s luxury shopping revolution
From international boutiques to synergies with Malaga’s tech hub, a new Segittur study identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the city’s multi-million-euro retail sector
Marbella has been chosen as a flagship "pilot destination" for a Spanish government project aimed at boosting luxury shopping and high-end tourism.
The initiative, led by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism through its innovation arm Segittur, will use the Costa del Sol town to develop a national benchmark for the lucrative "shopping tourism" sector.
Marbella joins a select group of destinations, including Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and Madrid’s Las Rozas, in a study funded by the European Union. The project aims to identify best practices in digitisation and "smart" data management to attract more international spenders.
Shopping tourism generated over 310 million euros in Marbella in 2024
The move follows a record-breaking year for the local economy. Shopping tourism generated more than €310 million in Marbella in 2024.
Data from the study shows that Spain now ranks third globally for luxury tourism and third in Europe for tax-free transactions. In 2024, international tourists spent over €126 billion across the country, with nearly €11 billion of that going directly into retail purchases.
Strengths and weaknesses
Marbella was chosen for this initiative based on its "ideal characteristics", given its "importance in the country's tourism landscape and its potential to strengthen the shopping tourism sector".
Along with this second-largest town in the Costa del Sol province, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Segovia and Las Rozas (Madrid) are also taking part.
In 2024, Spain ranked third in both the global luxury tourism ranking and the European ranking for tax-free transactions, with over 126.28 billion euros spent by international tourists and 10.81 billion euros spent on tourist purchases, according to bank card transactions.
The analysis of Marbella highlights the presence of high-spending Arab and North American tourists and points to synergies with Malaga's technological hub that "attracts significant capital"
The analysis of Marbella also reveals the existence of over 100 international boutiques, as well as other relevant data such as a significant presence of high-spending Arab and North American tourists, synergies with Malaga's technological hub that "attracts significant capital" and a prominent artisanal, gastronomic and cultural offering, according to municipal sources.
