Fuengirola affirms its brand as a pet-friendly destination

This aspect is important for many travellers and the city has addressed that fact

It has always been important to differentiate one’s brand in order to stand out in the minds of a target audience. And Fuengirola’s progressive policies towards animals are paying off in another field – tourism. The Andalusian city has been voted as the third-best pet-friendly destination in Spain by the Travelguau.com website users.

In affirmation of this distinction, the city authorities announced the release of an online guide specifically aimed at dog-owning residents and visitors.

Did you know that dogs are not allowed on most Spanish beaches?

The guide in question, which can be downloaded from the local tourism website, is called ‘Bienvenidogs’ – a play on words in Spanglish, which can be translated as ‘Welcome, dogs’. It offers detailed information about the private businesses catering to the pets in the city, as well as to the public spaces available to them.

“Fuengirola is a pioneer city in Andalusia in the implementation of initiatives to integrate pets into daily life, together with citizens. We are a friendly and respectful city towards animals. For all those who reside in our town, but also for those who come with their owners to visit us,” said Ana Mula, Mayor of Fuengirola.

She added: “Our destination is increasingly known among animal lovers for our services and for our way of understanding our relationship with them, and therefore, it is convenient to promote all services, both public and private, that favour the integration of animals”.

Indeed, the coastal city offers a wide variety of leisure options for dog owners and their favourite pooches. Unlike most Spanish municipalities, Fuengirola counts with a beach where dogs are allowed to go. In addition, there are more than 11 000 square metres of dog parks spread among seven different areas of the city and pets are free to access public transport.

The cherry on the cake, in a way, is the annual ‘Day of the Dog’ celebration (held on different dates) which is a nod to the love that the city shows to man’s best friend. Unfortunately, last year that event was cancelled due to the pandemic, but it remains to be seen if it will be held this year.