Located in the Mar Menor (also called Small Sea) region, with 74 square kilometres of extension and 39 kilometres of coastline between the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean Sea, San Javier is made up of the tourist districts of Santiago de la Ribera and La Manga del Mar Menor and the agricultural districts of El Mirador, Roda (also touristy and with a great golf course), Los Sáez de Tarquinales, La Grajuela and Pozo Aledo.
The municipality enjoys a privileged geographical position that allows it to be linked to the cities of Murcia, Cartagena, Alicante and Elche through good communication routes such as the Mediterranean Highway (AP7), the RM19 and the RM1.
San Javier has a population of about 32,000 inhabitants, a figure that increases during the summer season to reach 130,000 inhabitants and is at the forefront of the Autonomous Region of Murcia in terms of economic development and per capita income. San Javier is first among all the municipalities of the Region of Murcia and registers a figure 33% higher than the regional average.
San Javier is a cosmopolitan university town where Spanish people from other regions/cities coexist in perfect harmony and integration, European citizens who have left their hometowns to live in San Javier and an immigrant working population from all over the world.
Agriculture and Tourism
Traditionally, their two main sources of income have been agriculture and tourism. The modernization of organic farming and irrigation systems, production and marketing strategies, and the introduction of new technologies have increased the quality of agricultural production in San Javier, becoming more and more a benchmark in agricultural innovation. In fact, it is in San Javier where “El Mirador” Demonstration and Technology Transfer Centre is located, dependent on the Department of Agriculture, which aims to introduce new technologies in the agricultural sector in order to achieve a competitive production process of higher quality, ecological and with sanitary guarantees.
San Javier has the most modern agriculture in Europe.
As for tourism, given that it has 23 kilometres of coastline to the Mar Menor and 16 kilometres to the Mediterranean, San Javier has been the region’s ultimate tourist destination, especially in Santiago de la Ribera and La Manga del Mar Menor. The traditional offer of sun, beach and golf tourism in Roda, with one of the best courses in Spain, has been completed with an increasingly varied cultural offer, in which the Jazz Festivals and theatre stand out.
Industrial opportunities
The industry and the services sector have grown in importance and the substantial improvement in road communications that has taken place opens up opportunities for new industrial sites in the municipality of San Javier, both due to the generation of local initiatives and the attraction of foreign investment.
San Javier has three industrial estates where leading European companies are located, in the commercializing horticultural products and supplying the vast majority of international markets, and not only European ones. International companies with presence in more than 150 countries also have their headquarters in San Javier.
The companies based in San Javier and the neighbouring towns are leaders in the fruit and vegetable sector, capital goods, construction and agricultural engineering.
1. Strategic location
Thanks to tourism and the existing business environment, San Javier offers an excellent connection with Europe, Latin America and the Mediterranean.
In addition, it is necessary to point out the proximity of the Airports of Murcia (25 km) and Alicante (90 km) where there is a wide network of international and intercontinental connections.
Regarding maritime traffic, the port of Cartagena located 30 km away offers one of the most remarkable advantages of the location of San Javier. It is the most effective bridge to destinations such as Africa, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Baltic countries, North America, Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Asia and Oceania.
Road communications are by motorway and highway that connect San Javier with any other location in Spain.
By road:
-To Madrid, taking the Madrid-Valencia A-3 highway, heading towards Albacete when passing Honrubia.
-To Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante, taking the Mediterranean highway A-7, along the Mediterranean coast.
From the central and northern areas of the Iberian Peninsula, it is done through Madrid or from Zaragoza via the N-330 to Teruel, you must take the N-234 to Valencia, and then the A-7 motorway. From Andalusia you must take the A-92 until it connects with the N-301 towards Cartagena or the Vera Cartagena Highway.
By rail:
The Balsicas-Mar Menor station, located just 10 km away, offers the possibility of reaching San Javier by train from Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or Montpellier, with the Cartagena station for transport of goods and merchandise.
2. Investment Opportunities
San Javier has opportunities for investment and commercial and productive establishment in different sectors of national and international scope.
Hotel and tourism sector
There is a real opportunity for the creation of hotels in the municipality of San Javier. The districts of Santiago de la Ribera and La Manga have direct access to the sea and it is only in La Manga where the highest concentration of hotels in the municipality is found, leaving the rest of the districts with a strong demand for hotel accommodation.
The hotel possibilities are oriented to:
– Holiday accommodation
– Congresses (MICE)
– Health tourism
– Sports tourism (sailing and water sports)
San Javier’s neighbouring towns have a consolidated offer of vacation accommodation and health tourism (Spas, massages and relaxation) with no further growth capacity, leaving San Javier as the only town in the surroundings with the capacity to receive new hotel investments in the three modalities.
The plot of the old Hospital de Los Arcos, on the seafront of the Mar Menor, has been declared for hotel use only and will soon go out to public tender.
Horticultural sectors
Given the location of leading companies in the commercialization of fruit and vegetable products as well as high technological innovation, in the agricultural sector food companies are much closer to agricultural products and this makes packaging and canning companies much more profitable.
San Javier also has a leading agricultural innovation centre (“El Mirador” Demonstration and Technology Transfer Centre) dependent on the Department of Agriculture, which aims to introduce new technologies in the agricultural sector to achieve a competitive production process of higher quality, ecological and with sanitary guarantees.
Leisure
Both the local population of San Javier and the large amount of visitors, not only in the summer but also throughout the year, express their demand for a wider offer of places and leisure activities.
Sports and cultural companies and commercial establishments are welcome.
San Javier also has a project for a water park and zoo for endangered species.
Logistics
Las empresas logísticas encuentran un lugar ideal para su establecimiento gracias a la cercanía con el puerto de Cartagena y los aeropuertos de Murcia y Alicante, y las buenas conexiones por carretera.
Commercial activity
San Javier is considered a “tourist town” which allows the district to have much longer opening schedules that allow establishments to open on Sundays and holidays.
3.Trained and passionate human capital
The local government of San Javier, through ACTIVA (the Economic Development Agency), makes highly qualified personnel available to investors and provides all the necessary help for the establishment of companies.
ACTIVA helps in accessing existing aid from the Autonomous Community of Murcia and the Spanish Government for the establishment of companies in San Javier and also provides information on legal, tax, labour, regional and local legislation.
4. Great availability of commercial and industrial space
The offer of commercial premises is quite wide, either in the centre of San Javier or in its districts. The commercial areas are mainly concentrated in the urban area of San Javier and in the district of Santiago de la Ribera.
Regarding the industrial location, San Javier has three industrial estates with warehouses and plots for the establishment of commercial and productive companies.
5. Education and Training Offer
San Javier has the following training centres:
-University of Sports, dependent on the University of Murcia
-International University of the Sea
-Official school of Languages
-Professional conservatory of music
-The General Air Academy of the Spanish Air Force, with the presence of the “Eagle Patrol” of recognized international prestige
-UPCT Defence University Centre
In addition, San Javier offers business training. Numerous business training courses and for initiatives to facilitate the labour market insertion take place every year organized by different Business Schools and Business Associations.
6.- Quality of life
Health
The municipality has three health centres and a regional hospital located in the municipality of San Javier.
Gastronomy
The king of gastronomy is fish. All its varieties are excellent and with amazing diversity, highlighting the Mar Menor sea bream and mullet, prepared with salt and cooked on the back and in “caldero rice”.
As an aperitif, the famous prawn from the Mar Menor, caught right there. And salted fish with a quality already known in ancient Rome; the “mojama”, the mullet roe and the tuna flank which are usually served with beans or fried almonds.
To all this we must add the rich vegetables from the Murcian region that make dishes such as Murcian mojete, partridges with lettuce, cantonal salad, michirones (beans), peas with ham, tomato and fried peppers.
In the dessert chapter, the fruits of the area are of excellent quality, highlighting melon, peaches and watermelon.
In patisserie, the “cierva cake” stands out, between sweet and salty, although the “tocino de cielo” (custard) and the “royal soup” made of almonds and egg yolk, the “arrope” made with honey-macerated fruits and vegetables also deserve special mention; and for coffee an “Asiático” with condensed milk, brandy and cinnamon.
Festivals / Cultural Activity
San Javier is known for its great national and international cultural activity, being one of the favourite places for established artists to perform.
– The San Javier International Jazz Festival (http://jazz.sanjavier.es) celebrated its XXIII edition in 2019 and is held every year during the months of June and July.
– The International Theatre and Dance Festival (http://www.festivalteatrosanjavier.com/web): is the longest-running festival in the municipality, the forty-ninth edition having been held in 2019. It takes place during the month of August.
Both festivals had their 2020 editions canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
-IMAGINA. Open air Show (http://www.imagina.sanjavier.es): the participants, individually and/or collectively, present one or more works of any artistic discipline as long as they are developed or exhibited on the street. Emblematic buildings of San Javier, facades, crossroads and streets are sources of inspiration for young artists. Its first edition took place in 2003.
Sports
In San Javier different national and international championships of various sports disciplines are organized.
Among its most emblematic facilities, with 100 years of history, is the Real Club de Regatas de Santiago de la Ribera, which hosts national and international snipe and laser class sailing competitions.
(See list of sporting events). DOWNLOAD PDF
Congresses and Conferences
The municipality has hosted events such as:
-IX International Congress of Physical Education and Interculturality
-XII Congress of the Spanish Society of Medicine and Mountain Assistance
– Sample of Choral Masses from Senior Centre
-III Ibero-American Congress of Human Motricity
-VIII Sport Gala ONCE
-I International Congress of Combat Sports
-Family Week
-XX National Folklore Meeting
-Cycle of conferences on Cancer and the Environment in the Mar Menor area
-II ACOCEX Congress of Foreign Trade Professionals
-III ACOCEX Congress of Foreign Trade Professionals
1-Municipal support for new investments
The municipality of San Javier has a series of fiscal benefits for the establishment of companies:
- Suppression of the opening license
- Reduction of the Real Estate Tax:
-Reduction of 50% in hotel establishments and camping sites
-Reduction of 10% tourist apartments
-20% reduction during the first 4 years for newly opened retail stores, restaurants and tourist apartments
-30% reduction during the first 4 years for newly opened hotel establishments and camping sites
- lClO: Construction, facilities and works tax
-50% bonus to newly opened establishments that carry out activities declared of special interest or municipal utility: retail commerce, restaurants or tourist accommodation
-35% bonus to energy efficiency works
-40% bonus to adaptation works for people with disabilities and the elderly
The firm commitment by the local government of San Javier to receive investors and entrepreneurs and its establishment in the municipality means that all departments are coordinated through the Local Development Agency to facilitate the procedures for opening and obtaining licenses in a fast, clear and effective way.
In addition, it provides other support and help services to businessmen and entrepreneurs:
-Advice on Procedures and Legal Obligations
-Access to financial aid and subsidies
-Help in preparing the Business and Viability Plan
-Management advice, mainly in the following areas:
* Marketing and Commercial Management
* Financial Management
* Human Resources
* Follow-up after starting the business
* Training of employees to hire
And everything that facilitates the establishment of companies and entrepreneurs in the municipality.
Also, due to the crisis caused by COVID 19, the Consistory has made a great effort by implementing the following measures:
2-Regional investment aid
-The regional incentive aid program wants to support commercial entrepreneurships that carry out industrial investment projects, in tourist accommodation or complementary facilities in any of the following scenarios:
- New establishments.
- Capital increases with job creation.
- Modernization with job retention.
- The maximum scope of the above-mentioned aid expressed as a percentage of the investment would be:
- 45% for small businesses.
- 35% for medium-sized companies
- 25% for large companies
Line Invest
Announcement for the granting of loans aimed at promoting investment and competitive improvement of companies.
- Amount: from 50,000 to 1,000,000 euro.
- Repayment period: 10 years with a maximum grace period of 3 years
- Interest rates: Euribor + differential (from 0.55% to 2.80%)
- Guarantees: a minimum bank guarantee of 10% to 30%. An additional bank guarantee of more than 41%.
- Amortization: semi-annual
- Opening commission: 0.5%
Beneficiary: SMEs with commercial corporate form, whose activity is located in the Region of Murcia and in any sector of activity, except those excluded by the EIB and the help of MIMINIS.
Its connection with aeronautics goes back a long way. It was in 1914 when, by order of King Alfonso XIII and after an aerial journey of more than 1,500 kilometres, the Mar Menor was chosen as the most suitable place to locate the first naval air base in Spain.
This relationship has given rise to some of the most important milestones in Spanish military aviation: the establishment of the General Air Academy, in which the officers and pilots of the Spanish Air Force, including the two kings, are trained, or the presence since 1985 of the Eagle Acrobatic Patrol.
This story is not to be discovered by looking back, but by looking up.
A pole of touristic, economic and institutional attraction with the world of aeronautics as a transforming agent, which makes this city an essential destination in the Region of Murcia.
Outdoor museum
The municipality of San Javier has become a huge museum that pays tribute to aviation: facilities, attractions, points of interest, airplane models, sculptures, activities and events, and all this with the best retail and restaurant offerings on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Currently, a master plan is being worked on that will “thematize” the entire municipality of San Javier to turn it into a huge museum in which to bring aeronautical culture closer to residents and visitors, strolling through its streets and enjoying activities, events, monuments and dedicated attractions, in an informed way, in the form of tourist routes.
Pieces, elements and airplanes donated by the Air Force, large-format sculptures recreating elements of the history of aviation, theme playgrounds, as well as activities and cultural events in the street, make up an immersion experience in a tourist and cultural complex unique in the world of aeronautics.
Among the projected initiatives, the Typhlological Museum will also stand out, an inclusive museum that, in collaboration with ONCE (National Organization of Spanish visually impaired individuals), will allow people with visual disabilities to enjoy aeronautics.
Innovation and new technologies will be part of the project, shaping a Smart Tourist Destination in which the visitor can access extensive multimedia content on the aeronautical culture of San Javier and its points of interest with the help of their smartphone, in a simple way and intuitive.
Living Museum of Aeronautics
The end of activity at the San Javier Airport will lead to its transformation into the first Living Museum of Aeronautics, a museum that, under the criteria of self-sustainability, will become a living space that will seek the involvement of associations and entities to grow continuously.
This non-traditional museum, unique in Spain, will be the true focal point of the City of Air, where the visitor can feel the pleasure of aeronautics in first person.
Unique characteristics, both in terms of architecture (a real airport) and content, since the Infante de Orleans Foundation is projected to display a unique collection of airplanes in this space. The collection has some pieces that are almost 90 years old, in perfect flight condition and unique in the world that are a living testimony of our aeronautical history.
This space will also host training activities that provide a diversified offer of courses related to industry and the economy, linked to aeronautics and the future of professions in the sector.
In addition, it is planned to develop the Aeronautical Tradeshow that will serve as a business attraction pole and that, on a biennial basis, can be held in San Javier in conjunction with the Portuguese municipality of Ponte de Sor. Its objective is to contribute to the economic and industrial development of the territory by acting as a showcase for new developments in the sector and consolidating the external image of the municipality, and of the Region, as the European headquarters of the aeronautical industry.
