Event futures, an initiative by the publishing group Prensa Ibérica La Opinión de Málaga, aimed to monitor progress in one of the most dynamic knowledge areas, technological innovation. After touring several Spanish capitals in 2023, it arrived in Malaga this morning for a day at the Barceló Hotel. Delegates from the private sector and public institutions gathered for two round tables focused on Smart Destinations and Cybersecurity.
This event was supported by Telefónica, the Malaga City Council, the Malaga Provincial Council, Costa del Sol Málaga, OPPLUS, and Topdigital.
Increasing the competitiveness of business
The day began with a welcome address from Fernando González, director of the Futuribles circuit of events organized by Prensa Ibérica. He reinforced that such gatherings spark technological innovation and boost business competitiveness amid uncertainty and rapid global change, highlighting risks in climate, demographics, and inequality.
Futuribles director Fernando González opened the Malaga session at the Barceló Hotel. He explained that Futuribles analyzes how connectivity impacts the economy, industry, and energy, while European strategies emphasize smart specialization, sustainability, environmental challenges, the new digital work culture, and the rise of disruptive technologies. The director also noted advances in EU legislation on the topics discussed, including cybersecurity and digital nomadism, with the Data Act poised to influence tourism strategies from 2025 onward.
Digitized target
After González, Jacobo Florido, Malaga City Council Councillor for Human Resources, Quality, and Tourism, underscored that the capital of the Costa del Sol is already a digitalized destination thanks to the collaboration of institutions and private firms delivering personalized experiences for visitors. He described Malaga as a multi segment destination where the city itself is a brand, with culture, museums, and gastronomy playing pivotal roles.
Florido, addressing participants, noted that Malaga is a model of a destination where culture and technology converge to attract a diverse audience. The first of two analysis charts, led by La Opinión journalists, explored tourist data and digital nomadism alongside competitiveness trends. Attendees included José Antonio González, Digital Business Director for Telefónica in the Southern Region; Adrián Gómez, Innovation Director of the Andalusian Tourism and Sports Management Public Company; Antonio Diaz, Director of Tourism and Planning for the Costa del Sol; and Jacobo Florido, Councilor for Tourism and Human Resources in Malaga.
Tourism balance
Participants reviewed 2023 tourist data, which exceeded previous records. Florido indicated that Malaga would present an attractive offer as the current financial year closes, with expectations of around 1.5 million visitors and nearly three million overnight stays. The emphasis for the coming years centers on increasing quality rather than sheer quantity of visitors. Antonio Díaz advocated leveraging Big Data to refine promotional strategies for the Costa del Sol, while Adrián Gómez highlighted the excellent work of institutions and the need to extend average duration of stay and tourist expenditure. José Antonio González emphasized providing secure technology through Telefónica to maintain Malaga as an ideal workplace destination.
It was noted that Malaga is a pioneer in adopting the Smart Tourist Destination model and that studies consistently rank it among the top global spots for digital nomads. The success is attributed to strong collaboration and new data parameters that guide strategic industry decisions, according to Florido.
Malaga and DTI
Antonio Díaz emphasized the critical role of public-private collaboration in strengthening Malaga’s regional destiny. The Western Costa del Sol already hosts a Smart Tourist Destination, with expansion plans for the eastern coast and the broader Malaga province in the longer term. José Antonio González noted that technology aims to improve people’s lives and that Telefónica backs the DTI’s goals to prevent overcrowding in popular destinations.
The discussion also touched on digital nomadism, with Malaga often ranking high among preferred destinations thanks to its climate, quality of life, and robust connectivity. The roundtable participants stressed the need to address talent retention, land for offices, mobility, housing, beach condition, and water resource challenges as key issues for the near future.
Gemma del Corral, Tourism Delegate for the regional government in Malaga, spoke about the importance of intensive inter-administration cooperation and the joint management required between industry and daily operators, especially private companies. She praised Malaga’s transformation over the past two decades and urged proactive planning for sustainable progress in tourism.
Cybersecurity
The second round table carried the theme Cybersecurity as a safeguard for organizational digital integrity. Participants included Antonio Carvajal, OPPLUS Technology Unit Manager; Enrique Rando, Technical Advisor at the Andalusian Cyber Security Center; Ruben Rios del Pozo from the University of Malaga; and Jose Raul Castillo, Inspector of the National Cybercrime Police in Malaga. The discussion covered protective measures implemented by public and private entities, risk prevention, and the professional profiles in demand for cybersecurity roles. The event noted the opening of one of the world’s largest cybersecurity centers in Malaga by Google.
Jose Raúl Castillo described cybercrime as a lucrative activity, noting that the most frequent attacks occur online, including data theft from large organizations and ransomware that encrypts systems until payment is made. The aim is to reverse the attacker’s initiative and reduce the impact of cyber threats.
Vulnerable companies
Enrique Rando highlighted that small businesses are particularly vulnerable and stressed the need to analyze risk exposure and protection levels against cyber threats. The partners also emphasized awareness and training for workers and customers to combat cybercrime. The discussion on professional profiles cited universities as a major source of cybersecurity experts, with UMA offering specialized programs in Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence, a leading Spanish degree that integrates both fields.
Special education
Rando argued for incorporating cybersecurity training into curricula since youths are exposed to technology early. The demand for roles such as intelligence analysts, security testers, engineers, and auditors remains high. The final portion of the debate focused on developing cybersecurity plans in companies and recognizing legislative efforts in the EU and Spain, including data protection and privacy laws and regional decrees that shape network security and data handling practices.