The festivity of Nuestra Señora del Carmen Coronada de Estepona, declared of Tourist Interest in Andalusia

The Junta de Andalucía has responded to the request made by the Brotherhood of Carmen, supported by the City Council, highlighting the “special importance” of this celebration as an “Andalusian tourist resource”.

The feast of Our Lady of Carmen Crowned of Estepona, patron saint of the city, has been declared a Festival of Tourist Interest in Andalusia. This has been agreed by the Ministry of Tourism of the Junta de Andalucía, which thus emphasizes the “special importance” of this celebration “as an Andalusian tourist resource”.

Last January, the Estepona City Council endorsed in plenary session the proposal made by the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Carmen Crowned of Estepona to request the Andalusian Government to declare the festival as a Festival of Tourist Interest. After the relevant procedures, the regional administration has decided to grant such recognition. In this regard, the General Secretariat for Tourism, the competent body for the processing of the procedure, has issued a favorable report on compliance with the requirements and criteria to be taken into account for the declaration and, especially, on its tourist impact. For its part, the Andalusian Tourism Council has also issued a positive report.

The Declarations of Tourist Interest of Andalusia are a recognition granted by the Junta de Andalucía, through the Ministry responsible for tourism, in order to highlight the richness, variety and uniqueness of Andalusian heritage, highlighting those tourist resources “that have a considerable tourist significance in terms of demand, and that stand out for their contribution to the development of the values and popular tradition that make up the tourist image of Andalusia”.

The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, stressed the importance of this recognition, requested by the Brotherhood of Carmen and supported by the Municipal Corporation, as an element of protection, conservation and promotion of the traditions of the municipality. “Our city treasures a strong link with the sea and with the seafaring tradition that is demonstrated every July 16 in our streets to the passage of the Virgin, our Patron Saint, accompanied by thousands of faithful who live that moment with devotion and fervor.”

The alderman has thanked and congratulated the members of the Brotherhood for their valuable work “that this year is reaping the fruits of many years of effort and work that are now recognized.”

The Official Gazette of the Junta de Andalucía publishes today the order of July 29th by which the Junta de Andalucía declares the Festivity of Our Lady of Carmen Crowned, Patroness and Perpetual Mayoress of the town of Estepona as a Festival of Tourist Interest of Andalusia. This recognition grants a number of rights such as having a “specific promotional work by the Ministry of Tourism”.

On the other hand, applicants for the declaration, according to the resolution of the regional administration, will have several obligations, including contributing to the good tourist image of Andalusia, in line with the plans and strategies of the Autonomous Community; maintain the specific and traditional characteristics of the declared object; or maintain the requirements that led to the declaration. Likewise, the requirements of information and documentation that, in relation to the object of declaration, are carried out from the Regional Ministry must be attended. To this end, “the promoters of the declarations must articulate a system of monitoring and evaluation of the tourist impact produced that, in addition to providing information, allows them to adapt to new tourist demands and requirements”. They must also periodically carry out actions to promote tourism.

The declaration of the Festivity of Our Lady of Carmen Crowned, Patroness and Perpetual Mayoress of the Town of Estepona as a Festival of Tourist Interest of Andalusia will be indefinitely.