Why work in Marbella? Reasons and interesting facts

Marbella is a thriving international town, which is not only a summer holiday destination, but a great place to live and work all year round. There’s a very active, diverse business community, alongside the traditional sectors of hospitality and real estate. The sun, sea and laid-back attitude makes the perfect backdrop to achieve the ideal work-life balance.

There are an astounding 153 nationalities calling Marbella home, and working in local businesses, setting up their own ventures, or being a digital nomad. Why don’t you join them?

If you’ve dreamt of working in Marbella, we hope this article will inspire you to make that dream a reality in 2025.

Why work in Marbella?

Marbella offers a whole host of opportunities for work, alongside a wonderful lifestyle.

It is a large district, not simply a town, which covers an area of 117 square kilometers, between Cabopino and San Pedro. According to Andalucia’s statistics department, there are over 150,000 registered residents in this area and 12.7% of those residents are international. It offers a great selection of public and private schools, libraries, health centers, shops, bars, restaurants and leisure activities. All of which offer opportunities for work, whether it’s to set up your own business, or to find work within an established company.

But of course, it’s not only the residents who are potential customers for businesses in Marbella. The influx of tourists, particularly during the peak period, offers an incredible opportunity for income. There were a whopping 10.8 million international arrivals to Andalucia between January and September 2024 and many of those flock to Marbella and the Costa del Sol, ready to shop, dine and enjoy their holiday to the full according to the report International Tourism Statistics for Andalucia of Andalucia.com.

Many of the international residents living in Marbella, have opened up their own business, to serve the expat population and tourists in their own language. You’ll find real estate agents, financial advisors, insurance companies, plumbers, electricians and builders, to name a few, all working for themselves and marketing to the international residents and tourists coming from their home country. Having a niche with the English, Swedish, German or Dutch community, really helps to stand out from the crowd.

Others have found jobs within these international businesses, so that speaking Spanish is not a problem. Those with language skills, have a lot of opportunities within Spanish businesses too, who know they must have staff who can speak at least English, and ideally other languages too.

Since the introduction of the digital nomad visa, a new influx of people have arrived to work in Marbella, without having to worry about finding a job, or setting up a business. They already have a remote job in another country and can now work from Marbella and enjoy all the benefits of the wonderful climate, lifestyle and lower cost of living, while continuing with their job. This is a great new way of life which offers a world of possibilities!

What brings all of these international people of working age together, is their sense of adventure and search for a better life in the sunshine. They are willing to navigate the language barrier and cultural differences to have a lifestyle that they could never even dream of at home. And we’d agree – it’s worth every challenge you face.

Work in Marbella: Interesting facts

There are lots of strong sectors in Marbella and the Malaga province as a whole, so don’t think that it’s just tourism!

According to Malaga Open for Business, “the most dynamic sectors are Tourism, Construction, Agriculture, Technology Services and Logistics”. There’s been a lot of growth in the technology sector in the last decade.

Many international companies are being attracted by the low cost of living, position in Europe, travel connections and lifestyle. In just five years, 90 international companies chose the province for expansion, creating 7,000 new jobs, and this is boosting the employment figures, and pushing up salaries too. They explain that, “the average salary in Malaga has grown by 25% in the past ten years. According to the latest data from the Spanish Tax Agency, in 2022 the annual average salary in Malaga was €19,443”.

In Marbella, you’ll find jobs and opportunities within the real estate industries, alongside tourism, construction, retail and the service sector. Recently, there’s been a growth in the tech sector, with online gaming companies choosing Marbella as a base. The retail sector is growing fast as well, with 29% of employees in the Malaga province working in retail. Exports of food products, particularly olive oil, and the aerospace sector is growing and is a very important source of jobs and opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs.

If you are good at selling, there are lots of jobs on offer in the real estate sector, with many businesses finding it very hard to get the right team members.

If you speak several languages, then you will be able to access lots of jobs in hotels, bars and restaurants, particularly in the peak season. Again, we’re hearing reports of restaurants in particular struggling to employ reliable staff members and so there’s a lot of opportunity for work and career progression.

Where to invest on the Costa del Sol?

Malaga is in the top three provinces for investment in Spain!

There are many investment opportunities on the Costa del Sol. Many of these are in real estate. For example, Malaga City has a selection of investment catalogues for real estate investment opportunities for office buildings, residential developments, logistics centers, public facilities and hotels.

Many individuals and businesses have invested in residential real estate for holiday rentals and although this sector is facing some challenging new legislations, the long-term rental sector is booming, with lack of supply and high demand pushing prices up.

Franchises are also a popular investment, bringing international business models, with strong brands and marketing to the area, in a wide range of sectors.

The Malaga province understands the importance of foreign investments and startups, and Spain offers various tax incentives for foreign investors and support for international investors.

Best business opportunities in Marbella

There are many existing businesses for sale in Marbella, which allows entrepreneurs to take over an established brand, and take advantage of an existing client base, as well as facilities and equipment. This can be a quick way to get started and begin generating income fast.

Another sector which is really booming is the real estate industry. The property market in Marbella is really hot, and there’s interest from many international buyers, from a wide range of countries. Marbella is a safe place, with a strong economy and a great climate and way of life and that’s appealing for so many, especially in turbulent times. The lack of reliance on any one nationality, protects Marbella from economic or political changes abroad. Add to this, the lack of supply of quality properties, and this is pushing prices up and offering real estate agents excellent opportunities for generating income.

What appeals to many about the real estate sector, is that the costs of entry are quite low, and the potential commissions are high. There are many jobs in existing companies available, and while many are commission-only roles, if you’re a good sales person the rewards can be fantastic.

The tourism industry is obviously an excellent sector for Marbella, and the town hall has been working hard to extend the peak season, by appealing to different segments of the market. Golfers are excellent off peak tourists, with high spending power, and the area is growing in strength as a health tourism destination too, for procedures such as dentistry, plastic surgery and hair transplants.

Opportunities in the tourist sector extend beyond simply accommodation. The trend for experience-based travel is opening up more opportunities for companies offering tours, classes, wellness, health and gastronomy experiences. Service professionals such as concierge, transfers, chefs, beauticians, hairdressers, personal trainers, cleaners and maintenance professionals and more, all serve the tourist industry, so there are lots of opportunities in this field to start your own business.

Technology and digital marketing are also growth areas, with business opportunities in the online gaming and tech industries in Marbella.

Restaurants, hotels and bars are also always in high demand, particularly in the peak season. Off peak is also growing in strength, offering more business opportunities year-round. Opening a restaurant offering an unusual cuisine, or catering to a particular segment of the international resident population and giving them a taste of home is a good business opportunity. But you need to have something which makes you stand out from the crowd, or be in an excellent location, as competition is high.

Telework from Marbella

Working remotely for an international company while living in Marbella offers excellent opportunities. It enables people to work in their chosen field, earn an international salary, while enjoying the lower cost of living and incredible way of life that Marbella offers.

One way of doing this is to take a workation in Marbella, an extended period away from the office, in this stunning place, working remotely. We’re seeing a growth in this trend from companies and their employees wanting to avoid burnout, retain staff and boost their productivity.

There are dedicated visas for teleworkers. As the Foreign Ministry explains, these “allow nationals of third countries who travel to Spain to carry out a remote work or professional activity for companies located outside the national territory, through the exclusive use of computer, telematics and telecommunication media and systems.” This is also known as the digital nomad visa. 

Jobs that are suitable for telework can really be anything where you don’t need to be face to face with a customer, for example –

• Social Media Manager
• Call Center Representative
• Data Entry Clerk
• Customer Service Associate
• Content Writer

We believe that Marbella is a wonderful place to live and work, for short and long term and a fantastic place to bring up a family. As you can see, there are plenty of business opportunities and jobs available and visas which allow you to work here legally, so we’d encourage you to take the plunge and join us in Marbella!

If you’re thinking about working in Marbella, we have a great selection of luxury rentals for digital nomads as well as long term rentals in Marbella.

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            [post_content] => Golf is a really popular sport, which has been growing rapidly since 2020. According to Golf Monthly, there are around 68 million golfers playing worldwide in 2023, across 146 countries. There has also been a 15% rise in participation since 2020 and the numbers are expected to rise.

These passionate golfers love to play at home, but also want to take their favourite game abroad and pit their skills against some of the world’s best courses. In 2023, in the US alone, over 12 million golfers went on a golf holiday and golf tourism is big business. Golf tourism is expected to hit 27 billion dollars in revenue this year, and exceed a 65 billion US dollars by 2035, fuelled by a continued demand for luxury golf experiences.

Will you join the millions of golfers hitting the road for a golf holiday in 2025?

If you’re considering it, here are our favourite golf destinations to add to the list.


1. Marbella, Spain
You won’t be surprised to hear that Marbella is on the top of our list! We’re keen golfers at Vacation Marbella and have personally tried the majority of the 70 golf courses on the Costa del Sol. We can tell you first hand that the range and quality of these courses, as well as the proximity and ease of travelling between them, makes this area hard to beat. On top of the courses, the weather makes Marbella a very popular place to practice golf under sunny skies, and combine a round or two, with topping up your tan.

A large golf industry has sprung up around this high density of golf courses. This means that you can take golf classes in Marbella, with some top golf pros, and improve your game during your next golf holiday. You can also visit golf shops and pick up some new gear, as a memento of your trip.

Marbella is a fantastic holiday destination all year round, but still best known as a summer holiday destination. The golf season in Marbella is in the traditional off-peak season of spring and autumn. This means that the flights and accommodation prices are lower than during the summer months. But as a tourist hot spot, you still get all the amazing restaurants, bars, shops, tours and experiences to enjoy when you’re not on the golf course – with less people to share it with!! It’s a win-win.

Find out more about the Costa del Golf and all it has to offer on our website, or contact us to arrange a vacation rental in Marbella, which makes the perfect base for your next golf holiday.
2. Scotland
Scotland is known as the home of golf, and has the world’s oldest golf course, the aptly named Old Course in St Andrews, which has been in use for over 600 years. Scotland has the highest number of courses per head of population in the world, more than 550 golf courses in total. Many of the world’s best tournaments are played in Scotland as well, so you can combine playing with watching golf. Find out more about golf in Scotland.

In addition to the golf, the city of Edinburgh is a beautiful destination, and a comedy hot spot in August during its famous festival. The Scottish countryside is another big draw for visiting Scotland for a golf holiday.

The big downside to Scotland is the weather, which is often rainy and cold. So, a golf holiday to Scotland is for the hardy golfer! 
3. France
France has a long history of golf, and boasts the first golf course in Europe, which opened in 1856. There are over 600 courses in France and the nation is passionate about the game, with more than 400,000 members of golf courses in the country.

The countryside is beautiful, and varied, with a great range of courses adapting to the stunning landscape and you can follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s best golfers by playing the Le Golf National's L'Albatros course, which hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup.

A golf holiday in France is often combined with visiting the wine makers and enjoying the amazing French food, so it’s a good option if you like your food and wine, as well as your golf.
4. Florida
There’s more to Florida than Disney! It has over 1,200 courses and has been called the Golf Capital of the World. Some of the most famous courses in the world are found in Florida, and its home to The Players Championship, PGA Tour and Champions Tour. The warm climate is a big draw as well, with great conditions all year, and you can combine golf with visiting the beach and theme parks too.


5. Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland boasts over 90 golf courses and punches well above its weight when it comes to quality. Golf Digest’s World’s 100 Greatest Courses ranking names Royal County Down in Northern Ireland as the best course in the world and has four courses in the country in its top 100. Royal Portrush will be hosting The Open championship between the 13th and the 20th of July 2025, really shining a light on the great golf courses in Northern Ireland and seeing thousands of fans flocking to watch the best golfers in action. Find out more about golf in Northern Ireland.
6. England
England is fourth in the world for number of courses, with 2,270, according to Golf Monthly. It’s a good destination for a golf holiday because of the variety of landscapes, which give rise to a great mix of courses. In England you can play on links, heathland and parkland courses, including some of the best in the world. Golf Digest names Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire as the best course in England, followed by Royal Birkdale in Merseyside and Royal St. George’s in Kent in third place, which has been an Open Championship venue since 1894.

Of course, as well as golf, England boasts a wide range of historical and architectural places of interest, plus vibrant multicultural cities and an amazing theatre and arts scene. Despite the weather, this makes it a great destination for a golf holiday.
7. Northern California
California is probably best known as the home of Hollywood and the vibrant cities of LA and San Francisco, or perhaps for the natural delights of Yosemite National Park, but it’s also a fantastic place to visit on a golf holiday. Golf has been a feature of this part of the US since 1892 and has some amazing courses from the Golden Age of golf. It boasts over 900 golf courses in total, only beaten by Florida and New York in terms of numbers. Probably the best known is Pebble Beach, as the home of the US Open on six occasions, due to return there in 2027. It’s expected to increase in importance for golf breaks in the future, thanks to its excellent climate and wonderful landscape, amazing infrastructure and other things to visit.

We hope you enjoyed our run down of the 7 best golf destinations in 2025. Have an amazing golf holiday!

If Marbella is at the top of your list, you can trust in the golf holiday experts from Vacation Marbella.

Contact us and we’ll help you find the best accommodation and support you with everything from Green Fees to recommendations on where to go and what to do, to ensure you have the best time.  
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            [post_content] => Spain has a love affair with golf and has 486 golf courses in total! This puts it in sixth place in the world. So, there’s no wonder that one of the oldest golf tournaments is the Spanish Open Golf, which has been played since 1912. This has been an amazing event to showcase the talent of Spanish golfers, with homegrown talent winning 39 of the 96 titles.

This year it’s taking place in Madrid in October, just over 2 hours by train from Malaga. This makes it a great option for a golf holiday in Spain!

October is one of the best times to play golf in Andalucia, with blue skies, plenty of sunshine, but cooler temperatures, which make your round more comfortable. Imagine playing on some of the best golf courses in Marbella, visiting the wonderful city of Malaga and then zipping up to the nations capital to watch the world’s best golfers in action.

Here’s what you need to know to plan your visit.


ACCIONA Open de España presented by Madrid 2025
This year, the Spanish Open is taking place from the 9th to the 12th of October.

The best of the best will be flying into Madrid for three days of amazing golf action and you could be there too.

Tickets are not on sale yet, but you can register your interest to be the first to hear about tickets and packages.
Where is the Spanish Golf Open played?
Once again, the Villa de Madrid Country Club is hosting this year’s Spanish Open, as it has for the last five years.

The course was designed by Javier de Arana and opened in 1956. It is a par-71, 6,970-yard Black course, which tests the players off the tee and requires the very best driving accuracy. The greens are challenging and on the back nine the putting surface is more difficult, which could set up a dramatic finish if plenty of players are in with a shot at the title.

In addition to golf, you’ll find horse riding, tennis, padel, hockey, swimming pools, a gym and sauna at this great club.
What is the format of the tournament?
The format of the Open de Espana is a standard strokeplay event played over 72 holes with a cut after 36 holes (two rounds). The player with the lowest score over four rounds will win the tournament.

Players for this year will be announced on the European Tour website.

Last year it was won by Ángel Hidalgo – who will take the title in 2025?
Spanish Open Golf: History
The Spanish Open has a long history of exciting events, and is a favourite with some of the world’s best golfers. It started in 1912, and became part of the PGA European Tour in 1971 and it is actually the third oldest golf tournament in Europe.

It saw Sergio Garcia’s entry to professional golf, and the last win of the golf legend Seve Ballesteros.

Last year’s event saw an all-Spanish play-off, with Angel Hidalgo and Jon Rahm fighting it out for the win. Hidalgo took the victory and it was particularly special, as it was his first DP World Tour title.

Jon Rahm has won an impressive three times at the Spanish Open, Angel De La Torre won it five times and Mariano Provencio won it four times. Other winners include; Arnold Palmer, Severiano Ballesteros, Sergio García, Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo.

Find out more about the history of the Spanish Golf Open.

Who will be next to lift the trophy?
Other golf tournaments in Spain
You can play in golf tournaments in Marbella throughout the year, if you want to see how your skills stack up to the rest.

There are also loads of great tournaments to watch this year on the Costa del Golf.

Liv Golf is coming to Andalucia once again in July, with three days of action taking place at Valderrama between the 11th and 13th of July.

You can also watch the Final of the Professional Andalucian Golf Circuit in August, in Alhaurin de la Torre on the 11th and 12th of August.

Check out our full list of golf tournaments in Andalucia and come and join the fun!
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            [post_content] => 2025 marks the 14th edition of Starlite Marbella, a music festival and amazing opportunity to party to live music and fantastic DJs, with delicious food and a great atmosphere. In this article, we’ll give you the low down on this epic live music event, who’s playing and where you can stay, so you can get planning a summer to remember.
The magic of Starlite Marbella Festival
Since 2012, the Starlite Festival has been bringing some of the best musical acts to Marbella every summer. The organizers call it the “best boutique festival in the world” and it is a coming together of music, culture and gastronomy.

There are four restaurants, and apart from the packed schedule of concerts, you can also dance the night away to DJs. You can book tickets to the after party following the concerts, even if you don’t want to see the main show, just look out for what they call Starlite Sessions.

This year, it’s running from the 13th of June to the 29th of August, and you can enjoy delicious food and a fantastic night out from Monday to Saturday from 8pm.


Starlite Marbella Festival 2025: line-up
The organizers look for a mix of acts, to ensure there’s something for all ages and musical tastes. Every year, there are many great Spanish artists, alongside international superstars and there’s always excitement ahead of the lineup announcement.

The headline act for Starlite Marbella 2025 is the Pet Shop Boys, performing their greatest hits live. Other amazing artists performing at this year’s Starlite Marbella include; Camila Cabello, Marc Anthony, Duran Duran, Seal, The Script and Will Smith.

For all concerts on the auditorium stage, doors open at 8pm and the event starts at 10pm. You can buy tickets for Starlite concerts on their website and from the many booths that you’ll see around Marbella during the summer.

There are 32 amazing acts for 2025, here’s the full line up of Starlite Marbella 2025!



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13/06
Emilia
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20/06
Nathy Peluso
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21/06
Camila Cabello
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27/06
Kool & The Gang
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02/07
Gente de Zona
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03/07
Marc Anthony
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04/07
Marc Anthony
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05/07
Raphael
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08/07
Europe
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09/07
Duran Duran
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10/07
Seal
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14/07
Fito Páez
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16/07
Pet Shop Boys
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18/07
Jhayco
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19/07
The Script
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21/07
Scorpions
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23/07
Bosé
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24/07
Bosé
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25/07
Il Divo
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26/07
Will Smith
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28/07
The Beach Boys
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29/07
Zaz
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31/07
Ana Belén
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01/08
Rels B
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03/08
Santana
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06/08
Clean Bandit
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07/08
Guitarricadelafuente
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08/08
Amaral
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12/08
Beret
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14/08
Los Secretos
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19/08
Siempre Así
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20/08
Alejandro Fernández
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28/08
Fangoria – Nancys Rubias
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29/08
Camilo
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How to get to the Starlite Festival Auditorium?
Starlite is held in a quarry in Marbella, which makes for a very impressive backdrop and great acoustics. It’s a residential area under 10 minutes by car from central Marbella and 15 minutes’ drive from Puerto Banus.

You can drive and park for free in the designated parking area, then be dropped off at the door with a shuttle service.

You can also take a taxi, or arrange for a private transfer to and from the venue, to avoid queuing for a taxi at the end of the night.
Starlite Gastro Experience
Foodies will love a visit to Starlite, as there are four amazing restaurants, plus a caviar bar, where you can enjoy delicious food and great shows.

There’s a Nikkei restaurant called Tanabata, which fuses Japanese and Peruvian cuisine.

Or how about trying their Mediterranean grill restaurant, Temazo? Here the talented chefs perfectly cook seasonal vegetables, fish and meat over fire, for drama and delicious chargrilled flavour.

You can also enjoy delicious Mexican food at Anima restaurant during your visit to Starlite Marbella. They promise authentic flavours and an awesome experience.

Last but not least, why not treat yourself to a luxury food experience at Sandra’s Caviar Bar. Dine on the very best ingredients selected by the creator of the festival Sandra García-Sanjuán, including of course caviar.

Find out more about these restaurants at Starlite on their website. Book your table early, to avoid disappointment.
Where to stay in Marbella to enjoy Starlite Festival?
We’d recommend Marbella’s prestigious Golden Mile as a prime location if you’re planning a holiday around Starlite. It’s the closest area to the festival, which also has some excellent restaurants and bars nearby, and is within easy reach of the beach. Check out our vacation rentals on the Golden Mile in Marbella.

However, anywhere in Marbella is close to Starlite, so if you prefer charm and history and want to be within walking distance of shops, bars and restaurants, then Marbella Old Town would make a good base. Browse vacation rentals in Marbella Old Town.

We can’t wait for Starlite Marbella 2025 - how about you? If you’re planning to come and see some of these amazing musicians live in concert this summer, remember that this is peak season in Marbella. So, we recommend booking flights and accommodation and booking your tickets well in advance, to avoid disappointment. We hope to see you there!
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