Estepona welcomes Brits with open arms

Mayor Jose Maria Garcia Urbano has always been one to heartily welcome the foreign residents of Estepona and celebrate their integration. For this reason, the mayor has just met with the British Ambassador to Spain, Alex Ellis, at the Town Hall.

The reason for the visit was to reinforce the strong ties between Estepona and the United Kingdom. The visit highlighted the deep connection between the two, both driven by backing the tourism sector and the significant British community residing in the town.

During the meeting, their discussions focused on shared interests, including the integration of British residents, the positive economic impact of British tourism, and opportunities for cultural and social collaboration. Mayor Garcia Urbano stressed the importance of the British market, saying that “one in five tourists staying in Estepona’s hotels is British, accounting for 20.31 per cent of our total hotel visitors.” He added, “This reflects the strong bond between our town and the UK, both in terms of tourism and social spheres.”

Currently, 4,529 British citizens are registered as residents in Estepona, making up approximately 6 per cent of the town’s population. This active and integrated community participates in local associations such as AREME, Age Concern, the International Club of Estepona (ICE), the American Club of Estepona (ACE)—where 90 per cent of members are British, and animal welfare groups like ADANA and AGYA, where the majority of volunteers are British.

Ambassador Ellis praised the British community’s role as a bridge between the two nations and expressed gratitude for Estepona’s warm hospitality toward UK residents.