Two Almeria towns are in the running to be crowned among Andalucia’s best tourist destinations of 2026.
The gems have both been nominated in this year’s Andalucia Tourism Awards, the regional government’s annual prizes recognising excellence across the industry.
Mojacar is competing for Coastal Tourist Destination of Excellence, while Macael has been shortlisted for Inland Tourist Destination of Excellence.
The winners will be revealed on September 24 at a ceremony at the Casa Colon auditorium in Huelva.
Mojacar faces stiff competition for the coastal award.
The whitewashed Almeria town has been shortlisted alongside Torremolinos, one of the Costa del Sol’s best-known resorts, and the Islantilla Intermunicipal Association in Huelva.
The nomination puts Mojacar among just three destinations selected by the Junta for the coastal excellence category this year.
Famous for its hilltop old town overlooking the Mediterranean and the beaches stretching along the coast below, tourism is one of the municipality’s most important industries.
Macael, meanwhile, will compete against Priego de Cordoba and the Granada Geopark for the inland destination award.
The Almeria municipality is synonymous with marble, with the stone extracted from the surrounding area shaping its economy and identity for generations.
In recent years, that heritage has increasingly been promoted as a tourism attraction in its own right.
The awards are organised by the Junta de Andalucia and recognise destinations as well as businesses, professionals, institutions and initiatives that have contributed to the quality and promotion of the region’s tourism industry.
Other categories this year include Sustainable Tourism Initiative, Tourism Business Career, Tourism Professional and Ambassador of Andalucia.
The ceremony will begin at 7.30pm on September 24 and will be presided over by Andalucia’s tourism minister and second vice-president, Manuel Gavira.
