ANDALUCIA TOURISM NEWS – SEPTEMBER 18 2002

CANAL FIESTA
Followers of Andalucian music now have the chance to keep bang up to date which what is produced in Andalucía. Cable TV operator Auna Supercable has added Canal Fiesta to its package, the channel was previously only seen on satellite. Canal Fiesta is the only television channel dedicated exclusively to Spanish and Andalucian music, and the Andalucian culture and folklore. This news which helps in the promotion of Andalucía comes from an agreement signed in the headquarters of the Technology Park in Málaga. Ildefonso González, General Director of Andalucía Digital Multimedia, the producers of Canal Fiesta and Canal Andalucía Turismo, said he was pleased with the news which will result in a greater diffusion of the Andalucian contents. The General Director of Auna Supercable, Maria Luisa García García, referred to Andalucian music as a relevant part of the international music scene. For the director of the Andalucia Technology Park in Málaga, Felipe Romera, the newly signed agreement between the channel producers Andalucia Digital Multimedia and Auna Supercable, strengthens the audiovisual and technological development in Andalucía. Canal Fiesta and Canal Andalucía Turismo are two unique media in the broadcasting of contents on Andalucía, with a clear interest in information, culture and entertainment, and taking the image of Andalucía across the world.

GUIDED VISITS TO THE ALHAMBRA 2002
This September sees the start of the second cycle of guided visits to the Alhambra in Granada, with 12 thematic sections which include routes with specialist guides in each area. These visits, which continue until December 15, have a maximum of 25 places and cost 5 €. Each thematic section is developed in three sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the same week. Some of the subjects to be covered during the programme refer to the symbolism and decoration of the monument, as well as its religious significance. The initiative, promoted by the management of the Alhambra and the Generalife continues in October with the subjects of the Abencerrajes, Comares and Los Leones palaces. In November and December subjects such as the Renaissance, and the water and gardens of the Alhambra will be covered, and with which this second cycle of guided visits to the Nasrid monument will come to a close.

BANDERAS FILMS IN ALMERÍA
The marvellous and unspoilt beaches of Cabo de Gata in Almería are part of the scenes for the latest film from Antonio Banderas – 'Imagining Argentina'. The Málaga actor is filming together with Emma Thompson and Ruben Blades this political thriller on the people who disappeared in the 70's during the Argentine dictatorship. Banderas plays a theatre director whose wife, Emma Thompson, is kidnapped by the military. The film, directed by Christopher Hampton, is a Anglo-Spanish co-production with a budget of 11 million €. It's not the first time that the beaches of Mónsul have been used in films. Some years ago Steven Spilberg filmed some scenes of Indiana Jones here with Harrison Ford. Adverts and music videos have also been filmed in the Almería Cabo de Gata. A beautiful setting which has, once again, been chosen by a film director, to be taken around the world.

OLIVE OIL PROMOTION IN GRANADA
One of the tastiest and top quality products which we can find in Andalucía is its olive oil. An oil which comes generally from Jaén province, although we can also enjoy the oil produced elsewhere in Andalucía. One of these places is Granada, where the olive groves produced something more than 100,000 tons of oil last season. This province is the third for production in Andalucía, beaten only by Jaén and Córdoba. With the objective of publicising Andalucian olive oil outside Spain, the fifth International Olive Oil and Produce Fair has been held in the Granada town of Armilla. The fair started in 1995 and is now consolidated as the second of its type in Andalucía, behind Expoliva in Jaén. As a parallel exercise some 100 restaurants in Granada province have given out small bottles of olive oil to their clients, together with informative leaflets.

FUENTE DE PEIDRA HORSE RACES 2002
The locality of Fuente de Piedra, in the province of Málaga, is well known as home of the largest lagoon in Andalucía and the most important landscape for the breeding of flamingos. But in this village, as well as admiring the beautiful landscape, we can also enjoy a celebration which takes place at the start of September each year and coincides with the fiestas for the patron of the locality, Nuestra Señora de las Virtudes. It's a horse race, a fiesta declared to be of national tourist interest. The jockeys set off with their horses at a gallop from the main street in Fuente de Piedra, taking a pike in their hands with the objective of passing it though some rings which hang from a cord. If the rider gets it right the tape is released and the jockey displays it to the admiration and applause of the many there to watch. A picturesque fiesta of great tradition in one of those villages where everyone gets involved in the party.

CÁDIZ SAILING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2003
Less than a year to go to the celebration of the World Olympic Class sailing championship which will take place in the waters of the bay of Cádiz. In September 2003 the best boats and sailors from the world stage will meet here. The councillor for tourism, Antonio Ortega, has recently presided over a meeting of the Cádiz provincial government where a proposal from the executive committee on the official championship mascot, Marino, was ratified as was the budget which reaches more than 4 million €. The councillor underlined the importance of the these World Sailing Championships for Andalucía and the promotion of the area with this sporting event. The presence of 500 volunteers will be fundamental for the development of the regattas. The championship will be held during the first fortnight of September 2003 and will have four bases in the bay of Cádiz, spread out between El Puerto de Santa María, Rota and the city itself.

PICASSO MUSEUM DISTRICT
'Calidad con Arte – Quality with Art' – This is the title of the advertising campaign which the Junta de Andalucía is carrying out with the objective of helping the creation, growth and modernisation of companies based close to the forthcoming Picasso Museum in Málaga. President of the Junta de Andalucía, Manuel Chaves, says its all about supporting business initiatives which recover the uses, customs and traditions seen in Málaga while at the same time offering quality, innovation and excellence. The historic city centre close to the future Picasso Museum – the approximately 7,000 square metres of the old Jewish quarter, will therefore see a notable redevelopment. The museum will have a very important repercussion on tourism and the local economy. An increase in tourist numbers of 300,000 people a year is expected in Málaga, with a million and a half people expected to visit the Picasso Museum in its first year, producing an annual cash flow of 30 million €.

WORLD HORSE GAMES
The city of Jerez de la Frontera, in Cádiz province, has been the world horse capital for some 12 days. A place where the horse was the star of the numerous shows and fiestas which have taken place as part of the celebration of the fourth World Equestrian Games, and where the many fans have been able to enjoy the seven horse disciplines performed by the best horses and jockeys of the world - Show Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting, and Reining. Spain has taken part in six of these disciplines, together with countries such as the United States, Germany, France, Sweeden and England among others. The Spanish team have presented a total of 49 representatives, the highest number in the history of Spanish horse riding. An edition of the World games held in the presence of a large public which has enjoyed the spectacle offered by some splendid horses which we can see only occasionally in competition.