Macael, so close to the prize: finalist as an inland destination at the 2026 Andalusia Tourism Awards
Macael was one of the three finalists as an inland tourist destination at the 2026 Andalusia Tourism Awards, a prize won by Priego de Córdoba.
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It wasn’t to be this time, but Macael was in the final. Macael Town Council was one of the three finalists in the Inland Tourist Destination of Excellence category of the Premios Andalucía del Turismo 2026 (Andalusia Tourism Awards), whose gala was held this Thursday, 24 September, at the Casa Colón in Huelva. The award went to Priego de Córdoba, and the Granada Geopark completed the trio of finalists.
The awards, organised by the regional ministry of Tourism, Justice, Deregulation and Local Administration of the Andalusian regional government (Junta de Andalucía), brought together 21 finalists across seven categories this year. The ceremony was presided over by the Junta’s second vice-president and regional minister in charge of that department, Manuel Gavira. The province had another candidate in the running, Mojácar, in the coastal destination category, which was won by Torremolinos.
Industry, heritage and art
Macael’s bid was based on a model of industrial tourism built around marble and resting on three pillars, industry, heritage and art, as the town council explained when the nomination became known. As the municipality itself points out, Macael’s marble stonemasonry has been declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (Asset of Cultural Interest) and has been put forward as a candidate for Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and its stone is present, no less, in monuments such as the Alhambra, the Royal Palace of Madrid or the Monastery of El Escorial.
The town council says it will continue working to strengthen a territorial brand based on identity, sustainability, authenticity and the connection between residents, businesses, public administrations and visitors.
An events calendar with marble in the starring role
In the meantime, the municipality is already looking ahead to its upcoming events:
- This Sunday, 27 September, the CxM Macael Mármol mountain race, the third round of the Spanish Mountain Running Cup and the final of the Skyrunner National Series, with a main race of 27 kilometres and 1,614 metres of elevation gain, as reported by La Voz de Almería.
- On 24 October, the Mármol & Music Fest, headlined by Ultraligera, a festival commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Subida del Mármol, as reported by Interalmería TV.
Although the prize went to Priego de Córdoba, securing a place among the three Andalusian finalists for inland tourism strengthens Macael’s commitment to turning its marble industry into a reason to visit, a strategy that seeks to attract visitors and economic activity to the Almanzora Valley.
