TOURISM SECTOR GROWTH IN MÁLAGA
The tourism sector grew in Andalucía by 70 per cent and reached nearly 4.5 million visitors between the years 1994 and 1999.
One in every four tourists went to the province of Málaga, according to data from the Andalucía Statistics Institute.
Growth in hotels has also been important in recent years - especially on the Costa del Sol. If in 1995 there were nearly 44,000 hotel places, four years later the figure had increased to more than 49,000. In terms of length of stay, Málaga province presents good results with an average of 13 days - compared to the regional average of 11. Another tourist area which has increased considerably in Andalucía has been the average daily spend which two years ago was little more than 7,000 pesetas, and which reached 14,000 pesetas over last Easter.

SPLENDOUR OF THE CORDOBA OMMAYADS
The archaeological site of Medina Azahara, in Córdoba, has become the scene for an exhibition of the splendour of the legacy of the Ommayads in the city.
Intellectual life, the arts and philosophy all flourished in the Ommayad Córdoba of the VIII to XI centuries, and the history of this dynasty when the city was one of the most prosperous of its time can now be discovered by the public.
The exhibition which will remain open until September 30 shows more than 300 pieces from 50 museums from across the world - now shown in four rooms specially prepared for the occasion in the Medina Azahara palace.
Here we have the chance to admire remains from the Caliphate of the East or the time of the Al-Andalus Emirate.
A meeting point of all the countries from the shores of the Mediterranean.

TOURIST INFORMATION IN ALMUÑECAR
Around 4,000 people have used the tourist information points in Almuñecar, Granada during the first 3 months of the year.
These information points were set up a year and a half ago as part of the Tourist Excellence Plan with the idea of giving a better tourist information service in the town.
Among the most popular requests are street plans, and advice on places to visit, stay and eat.
The locals and tourists which come to this Granada resort can also enjoy the improvements made to the Altillo walk - one of the busiest places in Almuñecar.

INFORMATION ON THE ECOTAX
The participation of the autonomous regions in the collection of VAT - This is the alternative proposed in a report drawn up by a group of experts which thinks the imposition of a eco-tax on tourists would do more damage to the hotel industry than protect the environment. The tourist board which ordered the report considers that the eco-tax introduced on the Balearics would not be beneficial in Andalucía.
José Hurtado is Councillor for Tourism - he says-----
‘The report proposes that part of the income obtained from VAT could be invested in the protection of the environment and in the support of those activities and towns with most tourists. The experts consider that the best way forward is to chose measures which do not increase the prices in hotels’

WATER MUSEUM IN LANJARON
The locality of Lanjarón in Granada, is famous for the quality of its waters - both thermal and drinking.
What better place then for the Water Museum which shows how this liquid has been used through history.
It’s use in electricity, hydrotherapy and irrigation, among others, are all explained by displays.
This is the project which the Lanjaron town hall wants to complete with a budget of 115 million pesetas for facilities which will include a recreation area.
Meanwhile we can continue to enjoy the charm and landscape of this marvellous village in the Granada Alpujarras.

CABO DE GATA NATURE PARK
The Cabo de Gata nature park, in Almería, - one of the most beautiful in Andalucía, is to form part of the European Network of Geoparks - thanks to its geological value related to the volcanic origin of the zone and its interest as a coastal and inland park.
The Geoparks Network, promoted by Unesco, is similar to that established among spaces of environmental interest, protected under the name Biosphere reserves - and in which the Cabo de Gata nature park is already included. It’s a landscape seen nowhere else in Europe and enjoys many environmental and geological resources which can now be made the most of as a tourist attraction. Only six European parks, most of them in France, are included in the Geoparks Network.

JEREZ MOTORBIKE PRIZE
The town of Jerez in Cádiz this weekend becomes the meeting point for more than 200,000 bike lovers from across the world - who attend the event which has been held at the Jerez circuit for the past 15 years.
Of all the visitors who come to the town over this time, more than 120,000 will go to the circuit to see their motorcycling heroes such as Carlos Checa, Crivillé or Alzamora.
The majority of the spectators, more than 370 million, will watch the event on 38 TV channels broadcasting to 170 countries and several agencies will distribute news of the event to 400 TV channels.
Ticket prices range this year from 5,500 pesetas for standing room to 20,000 pesetas in the special stand.
The Jerez motorcycle circuit has become the centre of world attention for bikers, displacing Assen in Holland.

CASTILLO DE LAS GUARDAS NATURE RESERVE
More than 300,000 people have visited the nature reserve at El Castillo de las Guardas in Seville during its first year of life.
This reserve, managed by the Safaris Reunidos group, is home to more than 1000 animals of 70 different species to which a group of brown bears will be added in a few months.
The perspectives for next year area centred on increasing the number of visitors and in the opening of a hotel with an area specially prepared for groups of children.
A total of 280 hectares of Eucalyptus, Pines and Gall Oaks in which a nature classroom, a camping area and 25 wooden houses have been constructed.
The Castillo de las Guardas nature reserve is 58 kilometres from Seville, housed in the ruins of an old pyrite mine which dates from Roman times and which closed in 1960. From these ruins the most has been made of the mine wells which are used as a reptile tank.
The safari opened its doors on May 29 last year following an initial investment of 700 million pesetas of which 20 came from the Junta de Andalucía.

TRAVELLERS IN ANDALUCÍA
More than 750,000 travellers used Málaga airport during the month of March - which represents an increase of nearly 9 per cent compared to the same month last year - according to figures from the Spanish Airports Authority AENA
And for sure some of these visitors spent some time in rural accommodation in Andalucía - which last January received more than 2,300 travellers, most of them Spanish, making up a total of nearly 7,000 overnight stays in these hostels.

PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS OF JAEN
The historical cultural and natural richness of the South Sierra district of Jaén, which includes 8 villages, can now be discovered thanks to some promotional videos edited by the provincial government and society for the development of the Sierra Sur.
The campaign has the objective of showing all the aspects of the zone related with art, culture, cuisine, nature and the traditional fiestas in the Jaén villages of Alcalá la Real, Castillo de Locubín, Alcaudete, Frailes, Valdepeñas, Fuensanta de Martos, Los Villares and Martos. The intention is to promote tourism in the area linking cultural and leisure tourism.

VISITORS TO ANDALUCIAN MUSEUMS
More than 3 million people visited the archaeological sites and monuments of Andalucía during last year, 1.5% more than in 1999.
The Alhambra and the Generalife in Granada, the archeological site of Itálica in Sevilla, the Madinat Al-Zahara area of Córdoba and the Alcazaba in Almería, have been the places and monuments which have registered the largest increase in visitor numbers.
The month of April last year saw the largest number of tourists visiting such sites at 350,000.
Looking at the museums in the region, more than a million people visited them last year, principally in Granada and the Fine Arts Musuem in Seville.

AGENDA 1-8 MAY
The exhibition ‘La Mirada de Goya’, which brings a selection of the four series of engravings from the painter from Aragón, remains open until May 13 in the Fine Arts Museum in Seville.

Madrid painter Vicente Arnás, one of the most important hyper-realist painters in Europe has his works on show in the summer gallery in Puerto Banús in Marbella

‘Ciento y ... postalicas a Federico García Lorca’ is the title of the show of 270 postcards on the Granada poet which can been seen in the Humanities hall of Almeria University until Thursday May 10.

The canary island singer songwriter, Pedro Guerra, performs in the Cervantes theatre in Málaga on Tuesday 8. Wednesday 9 he is in the congress palace in Granada.

Between Friday 4 and Sunday 6 the Patios Fiesta takes place in Córdoba, during which time around 150 patios are dressed up with whitened walls filled with flowers.

The International Festival of Music and Dance is held in the Santiago Hospital auditorium in Úbeda, Jaén between Saturday May 5 and June 16. Verdi’s requiem is the first of 30 shows programmed.

The first Saturday in May, the 5th the Romeria de San Benito fiesta takes place in Huelva in the Cerro de Andévalo.

The General cultural centre in Granada is the scene of the ‘Siete Lunas de Primavera’ cycle which offers performances and conferences on Flamenco until June 4.

Tuesday 8, the poet Justo Jorge Padrón, introduced by Carlos Clementson, offers a recital in the Viana palace in Córdoba - its part of the cycle ‘Seis poetas para la primavera de Córdoba’

The ninth Málaga contemporary art days continue until Sunday 6 in the Cervantes theatre, Municipal museum, and in different art galleries in the city.

The first Olympic games for the press will be held in Almeria between Sunday 6 and Friday 11 with the participation of 350 media professionals from 11 countries.

Artists of the standing of Eduardo Chillida or Casper Jones share space in an exhibition at the Picasso foundation in Málaga.