Staff Reporter
A TINY Malaga village which was painted blue for The Smurfs movies has announced it will invest €300,000 into its tourism industry.
Juzcar, in the Serrania de Ronda, was first painted blue in 2011 after producers for the film selected the typically Andalucian pueblo blanco for the launch of their first installment.
The modest town of 250 people, now known as the Pueblo Pitufo (Smurf Village), received a much needed boost to its local economy and has now decided to market itself as a tourist destination.
The provincial government has announced a €300,000 scheme which includes creating more parking and better signage.
Other installments will include an app that users can spot hidden Smurfs around the village with – similar to Pokemon Go – as well as a zip wire and urban aerial adventure park for children and adults.
Júzcar was once a weekend destination for lovers of rural tourism, hiking and other activities such as climbing and ravining.
The town now receives around 250 tourists per day from all over the world.
The latest installment of the film franchise which was filmed in the town, Smurfs: The Lost Village, is penned for release next summer.
