Walter Finch
HOLLYWOOD heavyweights Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jared Leto helped Malaga’s debut Comic-Con smash all expectations.
The four-day extravaganza at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos, which ran from September 25-28, attracted more than 120,000 visitors from 20 countries – double the initial forecast of 60,000 attendees for the event’s first outing outside the United States.
Fans coming from far and wide booked up almost every hotel room across the Costa del Sol, while the event pumped €50 million into the local economy.
The Suicide Squad and Morbius star Leto was joined by Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie and Fast and Furious actor Luke Evans on the celebrity guest list.
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The Costa del Sol hotel association Aehcos reported that accommodation providers in Malaga city saw their economic impact surge by between 12% and 18% compared to typical late-September figures, with hotel occupancy hitting 94%.
“We are extremely satisfied with the impact this international event has had on the sector,” said Jose Luque, president of Aehcos.
“The effects have been very positive, not just in terms of hotel occupancy which approached 100% in the capital, but also in economic impact.”
The Comic-Con effect rippled right across the Costa del Sol, with hotels from Estepona to Nerja reporting significant spikes in bookings.
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Towns including Marbella, Fuengirola, Benalmadena, Torremolinos and Rincon de la Victoria all benefited from the overflow of comic book fans, movie buffs and cosplay enthusiasts.
The event transformed 80,000 square metres of the Malaga conference centre into the epicentre of geek culture, offering more than 300 hours of programming dedicated to comics, films, television series, video games, anime and pop culture.
The massive turnout suggests the Costa del Sol could become a regular fixture for Comic-Con Europe, potentially delivering similar economic boosts in future years.
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