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San Javier caravan parks: A success story in deseasonalising tourism
A new cycle lane connecting the town to Los Alcázares is also expected to help bring more tourism year-round
Caravan parks in San Javier are proving key to extending the local tourist season beyond just the summer, with local Mayor José Miguel Luengo highlighting their role in ‘deseasonalising’ tourism.On a recent visit to the Mar Menor Campsite, Luengo and San Javier’s Councillor for Tourism and Beaches, Estíbaliz Masegosa, praised the campsite’s impact on attracting visitors throughout the year.
“This type of tourism business model contributes to deseasonalisation,” said Luengo, referring to the importance of campsites like Mar Menor in boosting off-peak tourism.
During their visit, campsite manager José Inglés shared how the winter season has expanded from just two or three months to nearly five, with an occupancy rate close to 100%. He noted that tourists from Northern Europe fill the site in the winter, while it is Spanish visitors who mainly dominate in the summer months, also driving near-total occupancy with peaks of up to 585 people at a time.
Opened in 2019 after a two-million-euro investment by its new owners, the Mar Menor Campsite now boasts 175 caravan pitches and four bungalows.
The facilities, situated between the old San Javier Airport and La Hita, include communal toilets, showers, a swimming pool, laundry services, a restaurant and a cafeteria.
Inglés expressed satisfaction with the site’s growth, while Luengo commended the owners’ efforts to evolve the campsite into a full holiday resort with expanded services.
The pair also visited the ‘Camper Park’, located in the San Blas area, where they met with its manager, Carmelo Fructuoso, to learn about the progress of these facilities which have been operating successfully since their opening in 2018 and are currently at 95 percent occupancy.
Camper Park is already fully booked from November until April 2025, mainly with travellers from central and northern Europe who generally come for stays ranging from three to six months on average. Fructuoso added that many of them are retired couples, many of whom have sold their possessions in their countries of origin to buy a motorhome and travel the world, but like to stay in one place for an extended period of time. These kind of tourists, said the mayor, help to contribute to the local economy.
Luengo also took the opportunity to announce a new project that will further enhance the area for visitors: a cycle lane is planned to connect Los Alcázares and Santiago de la Ribera along the old airport road, making the region more accessible for cyclists.
“The cycle lane will involve a final investment of 400,000 euros and will be safe, signposted and illuminated,” Luengo stated, pointing to the broader efforts to improve tourism infrastructure in the area.
With investments like these, San Javier is positioning itself as a year-round destination, moving away from the traditional reliance on peak summer months and appealing to a wider range of visitors.
For more local news, events and visiting information go to the home page of San Javier Today
Images: Ayuntamiento de San Javier
Address
Calle Padre Juan. Centro Cultural Principe de Asturias 30720 SAN JAVIERTel: 968 571 704
Oficina de Turismo de San Javier
The municipality of San Javier has three main offices giving tourist information to visitors, as well as two information points. The tourist offices are located in Santiago de la Ribera, on the ground floor of the town hall in San Javier and at the start of La Manga. There is also a summer tourist information point located on the seafront in Santiago de la Ribera as well as one at kilometre 12-13 of La Manga del Mar Menor next to Playa Mistral.
Due to its location on the fringes of the Mar Menor and Mediterranean, San Javier has a period of intense summer tourism activity during the peak summer months, although it is popular with retirees of all nationalities out of peak season.
Tickets for the annual San Javier Jazz Festival can be purchased at the Festival office in San Javier Town Hall, Plaza de España.
Timetables summer 2024:
Tourist office Santiago de la Ribera (Calle Padre Juan 30720, Santiago de la Ribera)
Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 21.00
Weekends and public holidays 10.00 to 13.00
Telephone: 661 572285
Email: turismo@sanjavier.es
La Manga del Mar Menor (Gran Vía Km. 0 30380, La Manga del Mar Menor):
May 1 to September 30:
Weekdays 10.00 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 19.00
Weekends and public holidays 10.30 to 13.00
Telephone 968 128955 ext. 2
Tourist information point of San Javier (Plaza de España, 30730 San Javier):
Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00
968 573 700 ext #5351
Email: concejaliadeturismo@sanjavier.es
Tourist information point of Santiago de la Ribera (Paseo Colón on the seafront)
Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 21.00
Weekends and public holidays 10.00 to 13.00
Tourist information point of La Manga del Mar Menor (Playa Mistral, km 12)
Weekdays 11.00 to 18.00
Weekends and public holidays 11.00 to 14.00
