San Pedro to become Marbella’s “Silicone Valley”

Confirmation from Martin Soler, the counciller for Innovation
of the regional government, the Junta de Andalucia that Marbella will soon
have its own technology park is music to the ears of the depressed local
economy.  Having spent years focused on building up residential tourism,
and the creation of a stable year-round flow of tourism, the current
slump in the global property and travel markets has shot down this theory,
and it is of huge significance to the area that firm plans are now in place
to provide
a year round alternative industry, with the potential to create some 14,000
jobs.

As Oscar Fernández, director of CADE Marbella writes
in La Economía de Malaga, employment will be created from  day
one, with the clearing of earth, building of infrastructure and preparation
of the plots for development and building.  Jobs of all descriptions
will be created to service the area, including gardeners, maintenance and
cleaning.

Diversification

With 80 per cent of jobs in Marbella created from tourism,
shops and construction, a Parque Tecnológico will finally bring the
area’s economy into the 21st century and create a much broader spectrum in
which to thrive.  The gaps in the market are painfully obvious
in the current recession, but with this project, a brighter more stable future
is virtually guaranteed.  

The synergy between tourism and new technologies, growing stronger
by the day, will also benefit the promotion of Marbella as companies will
have all the latest tools available to promote their wares – those companies
not on the internet are invisible. 

The California of Europe
The technology park will occupy some 200 hectares, located on open land at
the foot of the Ronda road, and will be easily accessible from the A7 and
the toll road, with plans for a train station already underway.  With
the quality of life on offer, the success of the Malaga technology
park and a host of newly qualified IT students hungry for success in their
chosen fields, it is hoped that multinationals
will be flocking to the area to set up shop. And as for the top executives,
given the choice, Munich or Marbella, where would most choose?  

For many years, the Costa del Sol has been called the California
of Europe.  Now it looks like it will finally be given the chance to
live up to the comparison.