luxury

Spain has never been a land of skyscrapers. Now someone wants to build one for luxury tourists in Malaga

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Malaga is known for the Alcazaba, Gibralfaro or its Cathedral. If Hesperia and the Qatari fund Al Alfia manage to move forward with their plans, in not too long it will also be for another building, one that will also mark their skyline: the Port Tower. The project is not new (it has years on the table) and has generated considerable controversy in the city, but its promoters have just made it clear that they are not giving up: after receiving green light of the Port, the companies that are trying to move it forward have organized an event to share dates, data and investments. Their objective is to demonstrate that they are still committed to building a 144-meter tower in a country, Spain, that stands out for its little hobby by the skyscrapers. What is the Port Tower? A megaproject which has been in the offices of administrations for almost a decade and (above all) generating debate in Malaga. And the “mega” thing is more than justified in this case. At least if we pay attention to the latest data broken down by their promoters. The idea is to build a skyscraper 144 meters high, 59 meters wide and 19 meters wide at the end of the Levante dock, in the middle of the port, near the maritime station where the cruise ships dock. The tower will act as a huge hotel 382 roomsbut its promoters they insist in which it will arrive accompanied by a much more ambitious and useful infrastructure for the city that will cover, in total, 54,000 square meters. “The hotel will be located in a currently depressed area, where there is nothing, and we are going to recover that environment for the city and the citizens,” slide from Hesperia, a fundamental piece in its promotion together with the Qatari fund Al Alfia. Is more information known? Yes. Both about the hotel itself and the urban development that will accompany it. The icing on the cake will be the skyscraper: 144 meters high whose centerpiece will be accommodation focused on the high-net-worth clientele that comes to Malaga. The objective, in fact, is for it to operate as a five-star Grand Luxury hotel and be managed by an international chain (there are already interested parties). Beyond the hotel, the complex will include a 2,500 m2 auditorium, underground parking, a restaurant, a plaza and a 1.3 km boulevard with viewpoints, a bike path, green areas… The development companies in fact calculate that the complex will cover around 54,000 m2. “It is not a speculative project, it will have a return for the developer, but above all for the city because it creates many public spaces,” investors claim in The Opinion of Malaga. How much will it cost? There is talk of an investment of about 200 million eurosalthough initially the figure was quite inferior. This high amount (along with the special status of the land) explains why the promoters insist on the “transformative” and social dimension of the project and the return it will have for Malaga. The reason? To begin with because the promoters they do not rule out qualify for European funds and have support from the administrations. Before even thinking about financing, the project must nevertheless get its future cleared by the Council of Ministers, for which it is key that its public utility be demonstrated. Why is it news? The initiative is by no means new. A quick search in the newspaper archive arrives to verify that he has been chaining procedures for years, a complex path during which he even changed his star architect: the Valencian José Seguí He moved not long ago to the Londoner David Chipperfielwinner of the Pritzker Prize (the Nobel Prize for architects) in 2023. In recent weeks, however, the tower has been in the news again for two reasons. The first came in October, when the Port Authority gave the green light to the complex and allowed him to move on to the next stop in his processing: the State Ports table. There they must study it in depth before it reaches the Council of Ministers, which must rule on whether the hotel complex fits into the Levante dike. That is, whether or not it authorizes the hotel use of that space. The second reason why the tower is being talked about these days is because its promoters, Hesperia and Al Alfia, have organized an act to emphasize that they are not giving up. In fact, the quote served to explain details of the Chipperfield project and outline the schedule managed by the companies: their objective is to resolve the pending issues “in the medium term” to start the works as early as 2026. According to their estimates, the work will last about three years. Will that be possible? First, the project must overcome certain obstacles. And not all of them have to do with financing. The project needs the green light from the Council of Ministers and Óscar Puente, Minister of Transportation, since has warned that the Executive will not move until it knows the judicial resolution to the appeals presented by the Defendamos Nuestro Horizonte platform and the Academy of Fine Arts of San Telmo, critical of some aspects of the project. They are not the only ones. ICOMOS, linked to UNESCO, has warned also the landscape impact of the tower. Spain, country of skyscrapers? Although in Spain there are skyscrapers like the Crystal Towerin Madrid, of 249 m, and in Andalusia itself we find the Seville Tower (180.5 m), the truth is that our country does not exactly stand out for its large buildings. Some time ago Skyscrapercenter made a ranking with the nations with the highest number of towers that exceed 150 meters and Spain occupies 32nd place, behind other European countries, such as Germany, France or the United Kingdom. The Malaga tower is a reminder of one of the controversies generated by this type of structures: its impact on the landscape … Read more

Luxury was the last industry where Europe, because it was Europe, had a competitive advantage in China. Until now

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For decades, China was known as the country where the world’s luxury products were made, not where they were designed. The “Made in China” lived years associated with mass productionto the workshops that supplied Europe and to the supply chains that kept the pace of the sector alive. The great Western houses dependedand still depend— of its manufacturing capacity. But what almost no one saw coming is that that same country, which built the industrial muscle of global luxury, would begin to develop its own brands capable of not only imitating, but directly competing. A market that no longer responds to the previous rules. According to data published by Bloombergspending on Western brands within China has slowed down in a huge market—around $49 billion—while several local firms are growing with a strength that surprises the industry itself: Laopu Gold, artisanal aesthetic jewelry, has multiplied by ten its online sales in just two years, compared to the 57 million of Van Cleef & Arpels, one of the most recognized names in Western fine jewelry. Songmont, specialized in bags with clean lines and minimalist design, is close to 90% growth in e-commerce. In contrast, Gucci’s drop in the same channel exceeds 50%. Mao Geping—a local brand with a strong Chinese theatrical aesthetic— doubles income by Bobbi Brown on the platform. And all this happens while giants like LVMH or Kering are experiencing sharp declines in the stock market compared to their highs in 2023 and 2021 respectively. As Chosun Biz points outmany consumers who previously reserved their large purchases for foreign brands are now choosing local firms. A simple phrase, but one that reveals a profound cultural change. Luxury is no longer defined only by Europe. The transformation is not explained solely by the economic context, because otherwise the phenomenon would be limited. However, local brands are succeeding because they offer something that the young Chinese consumer recognizes as their own: an aesthetic and a cultural story that does not seek to appear Western. There are different examples, such as Songmont building its brand around “oriental beauty” and designing spaces inspired by calligraphy. To Summer creates fragrances with ingredients that are part of Chinese sensory memory—tea, osmanthus, preserved citrus—and presents them in Jingdezhen porcelainindisputable reference of the country’s ceramics. ICICLE bases its entire design on principles of harmony and simplicity rooted in local philosophy. This approach connects with a generation that no longer considers European logos as automatic symbols of taste. They look for beauty, yes, but a beauty that belongs to their culture. Luxury Society adds that local brands They have become experts in building coherent, deep brand universes full of cultural references that are natural, not forced. Meanwhile, foreign firms have been trying to adapt for years, often with superficial interpretations of Chinese symbolism. The rise of national pride. EITHER guochao, born as a movement roots that vindicate the aesthetics and identity of the Asian giant. A term that has become a purchasing criterion for many young people. It is not about rejecting what is Western, but about valuing what arises in the country’s own companies. Western houses try to adapt. The big foreign brands have begun to react. Digitalizing document a change in the way in which Louis Vuitton, Prada or Loewe relate to Chinese culture: they no longer only launch thematic collections on Lunar New Year, but they open stores that interpret local architectural languages, collaborate with artisans of intangible cultural heritage, produce content about Chinese cities and organize parades in enclaves that dialogue with the country’s history. The reality is that they have to respond to an increasingly demanding market and a consumer who has reduced his enthusiasm for luxury in the midst of an uncertain economic climate, marked by youth unemployment and the fall of confidence. The point is that, although Western localization is increasingly sophisticated, Chinese brands have an advantage because they start from a native understanding of their own aesthetic. They are not imitating the global language of luxury: they are proposing a new one. From followers to creators. The ecosystem is reminiscent of the process that Japan experienced decades ago. As some analyzes showfirst came the fascination with European luxury, then an economic crisis, and finally the rise of local brands that redefined modern Japanese aesthetics. China is going through a similar cycle, but with a level of global ambition that Japan did not have from the beginning. Furthermore, the picture is complicated by another key movement: according to Luxury SocietyChinese luxury spending has not disappeared, but has shifted abroad following the post-pandemic reopening. Japan is now one of the favorite destinations, where up to 80% of customers in some luxury stores are Chinese, it also happens in Singapore and Thailand. This makes the sales decline within China seem more serious than it is. Even so, at home, the preference for local brands is a cultural phenomenon, not a situational one. Can Chinese luxury consolidate itself as a global competitor? The potential is there, but the challenges are great. According to figures cited by Bloombergno Chinese brand in the sector has yet exceeded 0.5% global share or 10 billion yuan in annual revenue. The growth of recent years starts from small bases and there is still no truly global Chinese brand. The economy doesn’t help either. Consumer confidence is fragile and an important part of the local boom depends on a cultural pride that could fluctuate if the domestic situation worsens. The brands themselves recognize, in interviews collected by the same medium, that they need international talent and expansion outside of China to consolidate themselves. However, their advantage is powerful: they dominate the supply chain, manufacturing and, now, increasingly, aesthetics. The case of Shajuanstudied by researchers at Fudan University, shows how vertically integrated brands can control design, production and narrative more effectively than many international firms. A new global aesthetic emerges from China. The Asian giant is no longer just a key market for Western luxury; It is a creator of trends, … Read more

has a new life on land as a luxury hotel

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There are people who dream of have your own boatbut their stories don’t always end as they imagined. Clyde Stires began to raise in 1987 a yacht at his California home because he couldn’t afford to buy it. He threw it into the sea seven years later, although its story had a bitter end when the Kaleidoscope was stolen in Mexico. Chris Willson bought an old cruise shiprenamed it Aurora, invested a fortune and more than ten years to turn it into a floating dream, but it was finally scrapped. Some boats accumulate effort, years and enthusiasm, but destiny is not always on the side. Among all those marine stories, one appears that has taken an unexpected direction. It is what was once considered the oldest active passenger ship in the world. It was born in 1914, the same period when shipyards were still working with rivets and before welding became popular in shipbuilding. Today it no longer travels the oceans, but it is still standing: it is stranded on a small artificial island off Bintan, in Indonesia, and has been converted into a luxury hotel known as Doulos Phos The Ship Hotel. It does not sail, but continues to receive passengers. From onion cargo ship to hotel stranded on artificial island Its history began far from tourism and any pretension of luxury. When left the shipyard in 1914his name was SS Medina and transported onions and other products along United States trade routes. Decades later, he would be recruited for World War II, performing logistical support tasks. After the conflict, it was converted into a passenger ship and adopted a diesel engine, which allowed it to extend its useful life. Later, as a mission ship and floating library, it visited more than one hundred countries and survived an attack in the Philippines in 1991. The age that made it special also left it at a disadvantage compared to modern maritime safety standards. Updating it involved changing a good part of its structure, installing new fire protection systems and adapting the cabins to current standards. It was too expensive an operation for its owner, who took it to a dry dock in Singapore, where it was waiting for offers. The most likely involved its scrapping. However, a Singaporean businessman named Eric Saw submitted the winning bid.acquired it for 900,000 euros and decided to try to give it a second life. After purchasing the boat, the new owner faced a problem that was not technical, but geographical: he had nowhere to put it. He tried to get Singapore to grant him a permanent space, but negotiations were unsuccessful. Keeping it in dry dock was expensive. and it didn’t offer a way out either. The opportunity came in Bintan Resorts, a tourist area jointly promoted by Indonesia and Singapore, where they proposed taking it as a heritage attraction. There he proposed an unusual idea: instead of keeping it afloat, permanently installing it on land, on an artificial island shaped like an anchor. Moving a 6,800-ton ship to dry land is not a common operation. First, a section of the coastline was emptied to make a provisional “channel” and allow the hull to approach the area where it would be stranded. On that land, a concrete base was prepared, anchored by piles that crossed the ground until reaching firmer layers. The movement was done with winches and enormous air cushions that acted as rollers. The initial plan contemplated a much shorter operation, but progress was slower and the maneuver ended up extending to seven weeks. Converting a century-old ship into a hotel involved completely redesigning its interiors. The old shared cabins, with bunk beds and barely any space for movement, gave way to spacious rooms with private bathrooms, air conditioning and services typical of modern accommodation. Fuel tanks were removed, bulkheads were pierced and new electricity and water networks were deployed. Today it has 93 cabins spread over several levels, including the Executive Suites, the Family Suites and the so-called Master Mariner, located on the upper deck with a terrace, outdoor jacuzzi and private dining area. Although the interior was completely transformed, the goal was not to erase its past. Key elements were preserved such as the engine room, the propeller shaft of more than 60 meters, several lifeboats and some original cabins enabled as “experience cabins”. The decks remain passable and guests can access iconic spots such as the fo’c’sle, the same space in the bow popularized by the movie Titanic. Original rivets recovered during the renovation were also incorporated into the interior decoration as a reminder that this is a 1914 boat. The project does not stand alone as a business. The investment exceeded 15 million euros and the owner maintains that his objective is not to recover that amount. He has declared that this is a conservation project and that He only earns a dollar a year in salary.. In addition, it states that the proceeds go to charitable activities. Keeping the boat, even out of the water, remains an ongoing challenge, because the rust never completely disappears. Painting and repairing the hull is an ongoing process. The owner maintains that the modifications made could be reversed, allowing, at least in theory, the ship to be returned to the sea if someone wanted it in the future. Images | Doulos Phos In Xataka | We believed that the most incredible thing about megacruises is their size. It turns out that the real miracle is their kitchens

142 meters of luxury and technology

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a few days ago A Malaga beach bar released a robot called ‘Sardinator’ to advertise of your business. It is not the only event on the beaches of Malaga, it has also been the arrival of the Dragonfly, one of the largest, most expensive and luxurious yachts in the world. Its owner is Sergei Brinco-founder of Google. Favorite destination. Brin’s yacht had already been seen on the coasts of our country and a few days ago he arrived in Malaga for the first time, as they say in The Opinion of Malaga. And it is not the first superyacht to be seen in its port. Last year the Radiant, worth more than 270 million eurosdocked for the fourth time at its port and also stopped by there the co-founder of WhatsApp with the Moonrise. in a big way. The Dragonfly is the work of Argentine designer Germán Frers and is 142 meters long. This places her as the largest American-owned yacht and also the largest in the world. German manufacturer Lürssen. It cost a whopping $450 million to build. To put it in context, according to Superyatch Fanthe largest in the world measures 180 meters in length and cost 600 million dollars. Luxuries: yes. The Dragonfly has a total area of ​​3,000 square meters: 2,000 interior and 1,000 exterior decks. It has nine luxury cabins with capacity for 18 guests and 20 cabins for a crew of 40. Not everything is there, it has several swimming pools and, if that were not enough with one, two heliports. Regarding its power, it has a diesel-electric propulsion system and reaches a speed of 24 knots. Dragonfly History. Although it is known as Dragonfly, it was initially named Alibaba and was not going to be for Brin, but for Leonid Mikhelson, a Russian oligarch dedicated to the gas industry. Due to the blockades imposed after the invasion of Ukrainethe purchase of the Alibaba could not be signed and that is where Sergei Brin was able to acquire the yacht. He called it Dragonfly, just like his previous boat. Brin. He is also of Russian origin, but left the country with his family when he was barely six years old. Decades later, founded Google with Larry Page and that’s where it all began. He was president of Google from 2015 to 2019, when Sundar Pichai succeeded him. He is currently the sixth richest man in the world, according to the Forbes list, with a heritage of 215,000 million dollars Image | Wikipedia, Lürssen In Xataka | Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google and became millionaires. Now they are dedicated to collecting gigantic airplanes

there are parking lots full of abandoned luxury supercars

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In the middle of the Dubai desert, where luxury and excess seem to be part of the urban landscape, a legion of supercars that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars but now lie silent. they are abandoned as if they were scrap metal. As you can see in some videos On the subject, those machines are in perfect condition, with intact bodies, unburned tires, but their owners they have abandoned them without looking back. The magnitude of the abandonment. According to a recent statement According to Dubai authorities, between January and June 2025 alone, 1,387 abandoned high-end cars were seized. According to published data by Gulf News2023 resulted in 2,053 vehicles confiscated for this reason. In 2018, this figure was exceeded with 3,577 recalls of high-end cars abandoned to the rigors of the desert. In addition, Dubai City Council has issued 6,187 additional recall notices for other cars that it has detected with clear signs of abandonment in parking lots, streets or areas bordering the airport. Paradoxically, behind the abandonment of these supercars that cost real fortunes, there are economic problems. Why is the city council removing them? The Dubai Municipalitythe competent authority in the urban management of the city, has established protocols for the removal of abandoned vehicles: When a car is parked for a long time without a valid license plate, with flat tires or visibly neglected, a notice is placed on the owner and, if he does not act within the period (between 3 and 15 days), the vehicle is towed to the depot. The purpose is twofold. On the one hand, prevent these vehicles from becoming a source of waste, wildlife or vandalism. But, on the other hand, the authorities want to preserve the image of the city as a clean metropolismodern and orderly and having cars in a clear state of abandonment, no matter how Ferrari, Porsche and even Bugatti, does not give a very good impression. Tap on the photo to go to the original message Living in full luxury…even if it is temporary. Have a tax system very lax and permissive with capital has turned Dubai into a very attractive place for big fortunes and expatriates looking to make their financial breakthrough. This means that the country has become a magnet for workers and investors foreigners who settle temporarily your residence in the United Arab Emirates. As and how they counted in Mojogripsome of these investors and new rich come to the country with the intention of living fast and large, but when their stay ends or their investments do not turn out as expected, selling or exporting a supercar may not be viable. In these cases, the most practical (although therefore less painful) is to abandon them in an open field. at the mercy of the implacable desert. The price of the supercar is the least important. Buying a luxury car in Dubai is almost the least of the problems. In this part of the world, the costs of insurance, maintenance, registration and extreme conditions (sand, heat, seasonal use) mean that the simple fact of having a car in perfect condition is already a huge cost. When these expenses exceed what was expected, some owners who begin to suffer financial problems abandon the idea of ​​​​keeping the vehicle, which is why it is not strange to see a Lamborghini, a Ferrari or a Bentley gathering dust in parking lots of the city’s shopping centers. Dream turns into nightmare. The phenomenon of luxury cars being abandoned in vacant lots and parking lots in Dubai is not something new. But it has intensified when there have been major financial shocks: drops in oil prices, falls in the stock market or, as has been happening lately, the economic uncertainty caused by tariffs that the United States imposes or withdraws for no apparent reason. When this scenario occurs, large investments fluctuate with great intensity, turning many into millionaires, but ruining others. Those supercars covered in desert sand are silent testimony to those fluctuations. Debts, loans and legal consequences. When the economic situation becomes complicated, incurring non-payments or delays is the order of the day. However, in the UAE, defaulting on loan payments or issuing bad checks can lead to serious criminal penalties. That is why, for some owners of those supercars, taking that risk is more expensive than abandoning the vehicle and leaving the country. And why don’t they sell the car to pay off their debts? That is one more condition to leave them behind. The second-hand market for these models does not always compensate for the initial investment: finding a buyer, obtaining the required documentation and transferring ownership. can be complicatedespecially when debts and time are against you. In addition, one of the requirements to execute the sale is that the car be free of financial charges or pending fines. This scenario makes it easy for very high-value cars to become wasteland fodder. In Xataka | Sleeping in the most luxurious room in the world comes at a price. Specifically $100,000 and a flight to Dubai Image | Xataka (Nano Banana)

The luxury goods market is dying of success. The reason: there are too many rich people

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According to the latest report According to Intermon Oxfam, the 10 largest fortunes in the world have increased their assets by 698 billion so far in 2025. However, despite the fact that their fortunes are on the rise, the consumption of luxury goods aimed at this type of consumer has only decreased in the last year. Paradoxically, one of the causes of this decrease in sales would be the increase in the number of millionaires that have been created in recent years. The luxury market has hit the brakes. In 2024, the global luxury products market recorded a drop of 2% compared to the previous year, marking the first decline in fifteen years. Prices and sales of goods such as luxury watches, exclusive mansions, art and liquor have stopped growing and, in many cases, have stagnated or reduced. For example, the index Knight Frank’s luxury investment portfolio (KFLII), which takes into account the market value of these luxury consumer products, has increased by 72.6% in the last 10 years. But if we take the percentage of the last two years we see that in 2023 it fell by 6.6%, while in 2024 it fell by 3.3%. That is, to try to alleviate the drop in sales, luxury product brands have lowered their prices. This drop in sales of luxury products has been noticed in groups like LVMHwhich has been experiencing negative numbers in its wine and spirits division since 2023. Has all luxury gone down equally? However, as how they stand out in The Economistnot all luxury has decreased in the same proportion. A look at the Wealth Report 2025 from the consulting firm Knight Frank gives us a clear picture that only a certain type of luxury goods have fallen, while others, much more exclusive and inaccessible They have continued to grow at the same pace. For example, the high end cars have continued to increase their prices at a rate of 1.2%, as have leather bags from exclusive brands, such as those manufactured by Hermès, which have also maintained their upward trend at a rate of 2.8%. Even a market as bullish as real estate has been altered by the turbulence in the luxury market, reducing its growth rate to just 0.7%. Changes in the perception of luxury. If the data says that in 2025 not only have increased the number of millionaires but those that 1% of the population each time it’s richer Why have sales of luxury products decreased? The answer lies in Thorstein Veblen, an economist of the late 19th century, who in his book “The theory of the leisure class“has already defined that real luxury depends on its scarcity and exclusivity. This theory maintains that, if a luxury good is accessible for many peopleit is no longer perceived as exclusive and loses its value. Therefore, as the number of people who, for example, can pay 200 euros for a bottle of wine increases, it is no longer perceived as an exclusive luxury product and its price is devalued. It’s something similar is happening in the industry luxury fashionwhere “more affordable” brands such as Gucci, Burberry recorded drops in sales of between 15 and 30% while the most exclusive and inaccessiblesuch as Louis Vuitton or Christian Dior, suffered more contained falls of around 1.7%. Scarcity is the hand that rocks the luxury market. You can’t go to a Hermès store and buy the last Birkin without further adoin the same way as Ferrari makes you wait its millionaire clients more than two years to drive their car. This is not because of a production problem, but because tight control of the amount of product that is put on the market for it to exist a permanent shortage. This scarcity not only maintains the price in the store, but also keeps it above those that have already been sold, ensuring that their value not only does not go down, but that it increases because of this “exclusivity” caused by scarcity. If it is mainstreamit is no longer luxury. That concept is what is making some supercar manufacturers they are overturning in creating special editions and even editions One-off to take the concept of exclusivity a little further. Reason that explains that, for example, the invoices for some of these supercars double the price of the base car due to the customizations that are applied to them to make them even more exclusive. The new forms of luxury: exclusive experiences. Just as I pointed out a study of Bain & Company at the end of 2024, the luxury customer is moving away from those products that are no longer exclusive, and is now betting on something that does maintain that exclusivity: the luxury experiences. The Economist quote thatFor example, a night at the Le Bristol hotel in Paris costs twice as much today as it did four years ago. Likewise, tickets for the 2026 World Cup final to be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, they have doubled their price compared to previous finals, with prices ranging between $2,030 and $6,730, although on the resale market They can exceed $25,000. Something that is also common in top-level events such as the SuperBowl or the NBA finals. In Xataka | There is someone playing a gigantic game of Monopoly with real houses and in front of our eyes: Jeff Bezos Image | Unsplash (Jonathan Francisca)

There are so many people in Madrid that even its surroundings are being touristized with luxury hotels. And that raises suspicions

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Navalagamella is a town of just over 3,000 inhabitants located in the Community of Madrid that has been grabbing headlines for years for a peculiar reason: there, on the southern slope of the Cerro Alarcón reservoirbetween pine forests and holm oaks, a luxury hotel is about to be built with more than 60 roomsrestaurants, sports center and gym, among other services. A complex dedicated to relaxation located less than an hour from Madrid and which arrives preceded by the controversy. His interest, however, transcends Navalagamella. In a place in Madrid… More specifically in the southern slope of the Cerro de Alarcón reservoir, in Navalagamella, near Valdemorillo, a new luxury hotel which has come preceded by controversy. For his defenders It will boost the town’s economy, promoting “quality” tourism and generating more than a hundred jobs. For its detractors, it is an error that will have a negative impact in the environment and raises doubts about how it will affect issues as basic as water supply and treatment or traffic. More than an infographic. The project is not exactly new. In fact takes years talking about the Vivood chain’s plans to set up a large resort in the heart of Madrid’s mountains, less than an hour’s drive from the capital. The novelty, the reason why it has rung againit is because it has begun to take shape. In September the Navalagamella City Council launched a statement to announce the start of works on Cerro de Alarcón and the demolition of the old yacht club. The Newspaper assures In fact, preliminary felling has already been carried out, which will allow work to start at any time. The Consistory has not been the only one to speak out. Shortly after Ecologists in Action raised his voice to underline two other ideas. First to warn that, despite the initial commitment of the promoters to “respect the trees”, oaks, pines and cedars have already been cut down. Second (more serious) to insist that the work has started under a license granted by the City Council in July despite the fact that the appeal for a previous license is still pending in the courts. A “Landscape Hotel”. The project has not only caused people to talk because of the controversy that preceded it. It also stands out for its proposal. The future complex of the Vivood chain moves away from the traditional concept of a vertical hotel and opts for a horizontal construction, made up of small pieces spread across the mountain. EPE speaks specifically 55 bungalows and villas with 66 rooms, as well as restaurants, a sports club and beach clubpier and parking. The idea is to use mineral mortars, treated stone, materials that integrate the buildings into the environment. When announcing the start of the works, the Navalagamella City Council spoke in fact of a “Hotel-Landscape in Cerro de Alarcón”. Vivood already has a similar complex in Benimantell. “We were very clear about our essence: betting on a different luxury, based on disconnection, silence, relaxation… This is what we have been doing in Alicante”, explained in June 2023 to Idealista the CEO and founder of the company, Daniel Mayo. Right or wrong? Significant projects usually arouse as much criticism as they do enthusiasm. And the future luxury hotel in Navalagamella is no exception. For the City Council It will “promote” the region as a “quality tourist destination”, generate employment, promote training in the sector and “contribute significantly to local economic development.” According to the calculations managed, the project will create more than 150 positions. Regarding the legal framework of the works, he insists that the hotel has all the permits, including environmental reports. “It remains to be seen what costs it will have”. Not everyone shares his optimism. On the contrary, Ecologists in Action remember that the complex will be located next to a Special Protection Area for Birds and warns that the works have destroyed trees and threaten to cause an even greater impact. “The hotel will have the possibility of hosting and celebrating mass events, with the consequent noise pollution and its negative effects on the local species,” warns the environmental group, which insists that the project fails to comply with the Habitats Directive and will also cause “inconvenience” for those who already reside in the area. Among other issues, it warns about the demand for water and traffic. Recently EPE visited the region to talk to neighbors who also have doubts about the real impact of the hotel. There is concern that it will end the tranquility that the inhabitants of the residences of Cerro Alarcón or how it will affect neighboring towns. “The most affected road would be the one that connects the town with the urbanization, and it remains to be seen what costs this story will have for the Valdemorillo City Council,” Julia reflectsa neighbor of the area. The backdrop. The Navalagamella project stands out for something else. One of its main attractions is its proximity to Madrid, a city that lives its own tourist boom and offers a potential market with thousands of families eager to have weekend options without having to travel hundreds of kilometers. The future Cerro Alarcón hotel reflects the interest (and enormous potential) aroused by rural Madrid in the mountains and pre-mountains. Also the challenges that this brings for the environment or public services in areas with a now limited population, as is the case in Navalagamella, where they live. 3,100 people. Images | Navalagamella Town Hall Via | The Spanish Newspaper In Xataka | The coast of Huelva has been touristed for decades. Now one of its last virgin areas will become a megaurbanization

Fed up with excessive luxury, social media users turn to normality: creators with everyday lives

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A recent television controversy with the content creator @supaa97 has put on the table a series of issues that are perhaps at the opposite end of the topics we always talk about in reference to the influencers (fortunesluxuries, excesses): can content be created from absolute normality? Is that close to normalizing precariousness? And if it does, is it a problem? The Suyapa case. The controversy started, just as Suyapa says (which is his real name), when he agreed to do an interview for ‘Public Mirror’ to comment a video of your profile in which she told how she lived in a single room with her husband and son, and was classified as a “Poverty Influencer”, along with users who make videos with unboxings of government aid. Suyapa has stated that she is far from that type of content, and although it is true that she lives in very modest conditions in a single room, she earns her living by working as a cleaner and without resorting to aid, so she could not be included in a category of poverty. The appeal of normality. Suyapa makes a type of content closer to normcore (which is still a label created from top to bottom): these types of profiles share ordinary activities (from choosing simple and functional clothing to routines such as making a coffee, taking care of a pet or sharing morning tasks) moving away from the cult of luxury or drama that predominates in other digital spheres. They embrace simplicity and naturalness in both fashion and lifestyle: basic garments, discreet brands, homey environments and a staging that is not aspirational but friendly and accessible. He normcore as a label. This type of content is sometimes, as we say, a reaction to more luxurious and frivolous creators. If it arises spontaneously, because the creator does not ascend the social scale even if he wants to (as happens with Suyapa), or as a voluntary limitation, it is another question where you can talk about posture. That is to say, sometimes normcore is a false normality that arises as a reaction to luxury saturation. A more relaxed visual narrative is artificially sought, where the emotional connection is based on trust, identification and everyday honesty, but sometimes it is also a pose that seeks, paradoxically, to convey an image of coherence and credibility. What did they think it was? What ‘Espejo Público’ alluded to and where it mistakenly included @suyapaa97 was in a different type of phenomenon that we know as “pornomiseria” or “poverty porn”, which has two aspects: on the one hand, influencers on social networks that viralize acts of charity towards people in poverty to monetize these contents through likes, views and donations. One of the best known cases is that of Jimmy Dartswho with more than 12 million followers on TikTok, makes videos with homeless people, testing their honesty or proposing challenges. It is a controversial format that has a large number of ethical implications, even though influencers reward the people they portray with a large amount of money, as detailed this article. Something similar happens with amateur journalists who, under the pretext of portraying poverty and misery, create sensationalist content, a format whose origins date back to the seventies and that again has very complex moral connotations. Yonfluencers: from normality to luxury, and back again. Recentlythe rejection of social media consumers to the exaggerated and elitist display of luxury into which many have fallen influencers has made me think in how the perception we have of this type of content creators has changed. Many of them began as a daily reflection of our lives and as they earned money and followers, they distanced themselves from reality, generating a certain aversion from those who followed them for being a close and identifiable replica. That’s why content creators like Suyapa work, who have to overcome obstacles that are easy to identify with: tightening their belts to make ends meet, juggling time off from work or looking for affordable forms of leisure are some of the problems that the vast majority of people face. In Xataka | The influencer María Pombo defends her right not to read. And by the way, it raises an interesting controversy about habits

the new great vein of the luxury market

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If there are wine lists, if there are sommeliers specialized in liquor, if there are people willing to spend hundreds of euros on bottles of whiskey, vodka or a good Port… Why wouldn’t exactly the same thing happen with water? It may sound strange if we take into account that water is (by definition) a “tasteless” liquid, but for some time it has been encouraging a premium market that already aspires to mobilize more than 56 billion of dollars in just a few years. Curiously (or not) the phenomenon coincides with a complex scenario for alcohol, which suffers a particular crisis among the new generations. Premium water? Exact. Water is by definition (at least for the RAE) a “clear, colorless, odorless and tasteless” liquid, but that does not mean that all waters are identical. In the same way that not all wines, whiskeys, vodkas or beers are. And the proof is that in recent years a powerful, growing and, above all, lucrative premium H2O market has been taking shape. It may not be particularly well-known or as widespread as the wine or beer market, but a quick search comes in to see if it is. in full expansion global. And that Spain does not remain alien to the trend. Is it that obvious? Yes. And no. The demand for premium water is still light years away from that of other drinks, but it has been gaining followers and making its way into the market for some time. Good proof is that in recent days media outlets such as the Americans have dedicated reports to him. The Wall Street Journal and Foxthe British Guardian or the south korean The Chosun Daily. They talk about bottles ranging from 11 to 95 dollars (in reality there are bottles a lot much more expensive), restaurants with extensive H2O menus or sommeliers specializing in water. Are there figures? Yes. As a figure always says more than extensive explanations, it is good to take a look at the study ‘Premium Bottled Water Market’published in February by the Research & Markets platform. It contains some data that gives an idea of ​​the scope and, above all, the projection of the global market for what are considered ‘delicatessen waters’. According to its authors, last year it was close to 36.2 billion dollars and the forecasts call for it to continue growing at a compound annual rate of 7.5% until it exceeds 56 billion in 2030. What’s more, in a report dedicated to the demand for premium waters in the United States, Natasha Dangoor, of The Wall Street Journalexplains that right now there are some restaurants already billing $100,000 annually through the sale of water. Specifically, the business newspaper cites a restaurant in Los Angeles that offers its clientele an extensive menu that includes liquids bottled in places like Australia or Armenia and sold for $11 or $13. Of course the place also offers tap water from Los Angeles at no cost. Is it something widespread? Although the analysis from Research & Markets show a clearly rising market that is still far from other more conventional ones, such as wine, whiskey or beer. According to WSJin the entire United States there are only a dozen restaurants that offer a water menu as such, although experts already predict that this number will probably grow little by little. There are similar premises in Italy, Denmark, the United Kingdom or Spain. In fact Wall Street Journal place here (more specifically in Galicia) the business with the most extensive water menu in the world. The restaurant in question is called O Lar do Leitónis located in Ourense, and for years was already presented as the establishment of its type with the largest supply of water bottles on the entire planet. You don’t have to imagine it. His full menu of H2O can be consulted online. Do you only go to restaurants? At all. The fever for premium waters does not only affect hoteliers. There are also sommeliers, platforms specialized and international competitionslike the one recently held in Atlanta (Georgia, USA), where more than a hundred waters from 35 countries competed for the title of best water. Those responsible for issuing the ruling? Judges capable of appreciating aspects such as the aroma or taste of different types of water, no matter how much the RAE insists on define the liquid as an odorless and tasteless substance. The market has reached a sufficient level of maturity to have already been involved in the occasional scandal capable of crossing borders, such as the one that occurred recently. in France by the popular water brand Perrier. But… Why that boom? The million dollar question. Why this interest in water? What leads someone to spend tens or hundreds of euros on a bottle of an apparently tasteless liquid? That question he had it done not long ago Simon Usborne, a reporter who visited a place in Cheshire (United Kingdom) specialized in water to try different types of liquid and above all evaluate aspects such as nuances of flavor or how the liquids pair with each meal. “I take a sip before I drink. It’s a strange feeling,” Usbourne relates after ordering a 12-pound bottle filled with water collected in the Piedmont region. “It is so soft and smooth that it almost slides, instead of flowing, over my tongue (…). When after a bite of crab I take another sip, the dryness disappears and the water enhances the creaminess of the crab. It works curiously well.” The keyhe points out, is in the minerals, the dissolved solids (TDS)such as sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Their differences explain why nuances are appreciated in the water (a sweet, bitter, acidic flavor…), but above all that there are better or worse options depending on the type of dishes we are going to eat, whether it is more or less heavy. Of course, no adding lemon slices or ice cubes to the glass. Are there more reasons? There is who relates interest … Read more

a million-dollar luxury yacht sank just 200 meters from the dock

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What should have been a day to celebrate ended in disaster off the Turkish coast. A luxury yacht, valued at approximately one million dollars, sank for only 15 minutes after its launch in the Black Sea. The boat disappeared underwater just a few meters from the shore, while the owner and his crew managed to swim to land without major problems and without suffering any damage. The boat simply floated…but just a little. An ephemeral joy The ship called Dolce Ventowas going to be a nautical jewel, but a video that has gone viral due to the paradoxical nature of what happened shows that even the most expensive and luxurious projects can fail unexpectedly.

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