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Countdown to the Superyacht Cup Palms

With just over a week to go to the Superyacht Cup Palma the 20 participating yachts are gathering in Palma making final preparations for the four day regatta which starts on June 19th . The event is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Superyacht regattas of the year with a truly world-class fleet including 5 of the famous J Class yachts.

The racing starts for the J Class on Wednesday 19 th with an exhibition race and the two Superyacht classes will start racing on Thursday 20 th . The final race for all will be on Saturday 22 nd June and the event will be brought to a close with a spectacular Prize Giving Evening at Es Baluard Muesum of Contemporary Art overlooking the yachts and the Port of Palma.

For the first time in Palma all the yachts will carry tracking devices which enable spectators and keen followers in any location to view the races live via the website , the tracking has been kindly sponsored by Absolute Boat Care, Moll Vell Marina and UBS. The races will also be shown on a screen in the tent at the Race Village and can be watched via the website at any time after the race.

This year the grand tented bar and entertainment area, which is the focus for the social programme, will have a comfortable chill-out area with a cooling gin and tonic bar provided by Puro Beach. Hogan’s will once again be managing the main bar and Nespesso will provide the morning coffee before racing. Music and Entertainment will bring everyone together each afternoon after racing in the usual informal Superyacht Cup style.

Jongert Yachts have just confirmed silver sponsorship and to celebrate the opening of their new office in Palma they will hold an inauguration cocktail party for their guests and clients on their stand on Friday evening.

Costa del Sol property market set to sizzle this summer!

Foreign buyers are now as important to the Spanish property market as they were in 2006, when the real estate boom was in full swing, with waves of “climate” migrants investing in the Spanish property dream once again.

According to data from the Genera Council of Notaries, a total of 38,312 non-resident foreign citizens bought property in Spain last year, representing an increase of 28.4% on the 2011 figures, with Brits owning the biggest stake in the Spanish property market overall, holding 15% of total foreign purchases.

Split by region, it’s coastline areas such as the Costa del Sol boasting year round sunshine that are seeing a resurgence in overseas investment, especially by Taylor Wimpey España.

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Manager for leading Spanish house builder Taylor Wimpey España comments,

“Brits have always loved Spain as an investment country – it’s a fantastic location for people seeking a bolt-hole in the sun, but over the last few years we have seen an increasing number of sales from all over European the Costa del Sol in particular. We are also benefiting from an increase in buyers from Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway .”

“It’s no surprise more and more foreign buyers are snapping up Spanish property as increased flights across Europe have made it cheaper and quicker to get to Spain, helping boost sales across the Costa del Sol.

The UK already boasts the highest number of routes to Malaga and now adds a further 3 routesbringing the total number of UK to Malaga routes to 22.Routes to Germany have also been strengthened with 7 new routes (Dortmund, Hanover, Nuremburg, Cologne, Munich, Münster, and Hamburg. The rest of the new routes are made up with Madrid-Barajas (2), Melilla (2), Brussels (2) Paris, Warsaw, Knock (Ireland), Oslo and Bergen (Norway) and Copenhagen.

These increases mean that Malaga will be servicing 10.1% more seats on European routes and an 8.9% increase in flights compared with last year’s statistics. In addition, routes that were dropped in the winter will also restart, i.e. Turkish Airlines will start to fly direct between Malaga and Istanbul and Delta Airlines will resume flights between the Costa del Sol and JFK airport in New York – great news for the Costa del Sol tourist industry!

Indeed, overseas property investment in Spain is also expected to increase, as a new ‘golden visa’ law is set to come into effect in the next year that will state non-EU nationals that spend more than €500,000 will get the automatic right to residency in the country.

So for those looking for a property in one of Spain’s few destinations that has it all: climate, quality services, golf courses, shops, hospitals, international schools, good infrastructure, and the Malaga international airport with connections to many cities across the globe, take a look at Taylor Wimpey Espana’s glamorous homes on the Costa del Sol.

La Floresta sur is a new residential development, currently under construction, set near the village of Elviria and its beach, very close to Marbella and Malaga. Set in beautiful surroundings which have been declared a natural biosphere reserve by UNESCO, this development benefits from stunning views towards the oak and pine forest as well as towards the sea. These beautiful properties are available now from €178.000.

Another spectacular property choice in the Costa del Sol is Avalon, a new Taylor Wimpey development situated in one of the best areas of Marbella, the prestigious Los Arqueros golf course and 20 minutes from Estepona. The residential complex of luxury apartments and penthouses costing from €250.000, boasts a natural charm with stunning sea and golf views, wide streets, communal swimming pool and beautiful gardens.

Starlite festival to light up Marbella

IT should prove to be the festival to end all festivals. On the Costa del Sol at least. Now in its second year, the Marbella Starlite festival has just confirmed its 15th major act.

As well as a line up that already includes Julio Iglesias, Jamie Cullum and UB40, its organisers have signed up Bryan Adams to launch the event next month.

The Canadian rocker brings his Bare Bones show to the Marbella Auditorium on July 24, followed by Jamie Cullum on July 27.

Now in its second year, the festival – which raises money for various charities – has become one of the most eagerly anticipated in Spain.

Last year’s highlights included Simple Minds, George Benson and Hugh Laurie’s only show in Spain.

Acts this year include UB40, Julio Iglesias, Enrique Iglesias, Buena Vista Social Club, and Spanish superstar Alejandro Sanz.

On the flamenco front, guitar legend Paco de Lucia will play on August 15, while dancer Sara Baras will appear on August 9.

There will also be tributes to Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, as well as the musical Grease.

Starlite festival is not just about the music though. Also planned this year are live sets from top DJs, fashion and art shows and film premieres, including Brad Pitt’s new movie which may see the actor attending in person.

There are rumours of other A-list Hollywood stars attending, while this year there will be a big dancefloor and a number of local restaurants.

“It is going to be an amazing festival this year,” said spokesman Pancho Campo. “There are going to be some big DJ’s playing free until 3am and free music acts, including Roko, who won Spain’s equivilent of the TV show The Voice.”

He continues: “It is one of the most amazing venues in the world and well worth getting up there to appreciate it.”

The Marbella Auditorium, set in the old quarry above the town, will be open every night from July 23 to August 24 offering a choice of dining, including Italian, Mexican, Japanese and Spanish.

And if you want to dance underneath the stars, the venue will be transformed into a club each night.

The Starlite Gala on August 10 will be a charity event to celebrate Antonio Banderas’ birthday, hosted by the birthday boy himself and with a special performance by Alejandro Sanz.

All proceeds from the Gala will go to the charities Lagrimas y Favores, Niños en Alegría, CUDECA and Caritas.

The Starlite event was born out of a charity gala first organised by Spaniard Sandra Garcia San Juan and her husband Ignacio, the inventor behind the green and red light parking system that is now found in 147 countries of the world.

Set up initially to raise funds for poor children in Mexico, the festival is expected to be exported to a number of other countries including Dubai and Chile.

Alicante Airport passengers increase

Alicante airport recorded 12.6% growth in passenger traffic in May, the largest percentage increase in the whole Spanish airport network, according to the airport authority AENA.

In total, 930,000 passengers filed through the airport facility, whereas in May 2012 the figure was 826,248 users.

In the first five months of 2013, Alicante airport passenger numbers have exceeded 3,250,000, compared to 3,079,400 recorded between January and May last year.

The entire Spanish airport network recorded about 17 million passengers in May, up 1.9% on the same period last year.

Marbella keeps its luxury image and encouraging property sales

Marbella still retains its image as a top-class destination and is known worldwide.

Marbella Luxury Weekend has become an annual unmissable event that is set to become an international reference for the sector of elite brands.

Seven years after the town was hit by the property permit corruption scandal known as Operation Malaya, which led to the arrests of the mayor, her deputy and a host of other well-known figures, the situation in Marbella has not only returned to normal but there are also now signs that Marbella is once again becoming a first class international resort.

Marbella is attracting hundreds of wealthy Russians, Qataris and Kuwaitis who are not willing to pay less than €2 million for a house. There are opportunities for middle-class Spaniards in residential areas such as Nueva Andalucia, near Puerto Banus, where a penthouse sells for about €115,000.

The property market in Marbella has helped keep higher-priced homes from varying in value because of greater demand, while lower-priced properties have dropped considerably, with prices ranging to 60 per cent less than the appraisal value, according to some agents. Normally these homes are sought by buyers in the middle-class market.

The new General Urban Plan (PGOU) of Marbella, approved three years ago, appeared to be an exceptional system to regularize the tens of thousands of housing units authorized against the planning codes by the past administrations of the Independent Liberal Group (GIL) administrations. The PGOU established a system of compensation in terms of land or cash that promoters or property owners can reimburse the local administration with, in exchange for the losses of public spaces swallowed up by illegal encroachments.  This system allowed around 16,500 households that obtained illegal permits to legalize their situation. So far, around 1,000 property owners and a hotel have been able to work out their permits.

Estate agents say that they are beginning to see a very clear recovery and that there is a growing demand from Scandinavians. The British market, traditionally the lead buyers on the Costa del Sol,  has “fallen to the point of being virtually at a standstill,” says one agent, confirming that the boom in demand is coming from Scandinavia, whose citizens bring their own financing. Major investment trends are also being seen among the Qataris and Kuwaitis while buyers are also coming from Colombia, Venezuela and the Asian nations, even if they prefer properties in larger urban areas.

One broker said there are people who fled the Costa del Sol years ago because of the exorbitant prices and are now returning. “The market is not as bad as some pessimists suggest, but then again it is not all that good.”

He insists that Marbella will never experience the property boom that it did before the crisis.

But Marbella is one of Spain’s few destinations that has it all: climate, quality services, golf courses, shops, hospitals, international schools, good infrastructure, and the Malaga international airport with connections to many European cities.

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