La Manga and Cabo de Palos boost the Region of Murcia at FITUR as a year-round diving destination
The Region of Murcia today presented three new underwater products that expand its blue tourism offering and add to the Community’s catalogue. This tourism segment has enabled the Region to evolve from the traditional sun-and-beach model towards a more sustainable and experiential proposal, consolidating destinations such as La Manga and Cabo de Palos as some of the leading diving references in the Region.
The Director General of the Institute of Tourism, Juan Francisco Martínez, unveiled these new initiatives, which aim to “strengthen the Region’s positioning as a year-round diving destination, improve understanding and knowledge of marine ecosystems, and boost the business fabric, especially diving centres and the areas surrounding dive sites, such as those located in La Manga, Cabo de Palos and other points along the regional coastline”.
The first product presented was a new catalogue of guided routes led by marine biologists in the Mar Menor. It includes scuba diving and snorkelling outings with an interpretative and scientific approach, as well as a catalogue of native species found in the saltwater lagoon. In addition to the interpretative visits, the project—developed in collaboration with the Hippocampus Association—also includes marine species censuses, wildlife monitoring and seabed clean-up actions. To date, 12 guided routes and one seabed clean-up have been carried out. More information is available at: https://marmenorturismobuceo.com.
The second product presented was a downloadable interactive guide featuring 13 snorkelling itineraries along the Region’s coastline, including areas of high ecological and tourism value such as Cabo de Palos, La Manga del Mar Menor and other outstanding locations. These routes can be undertaken independently or through guided tours organised by diving centres. The regional minister explained where and how the itineraries can be downloaded, as well as how the guides and their interactive elements work (https://turismoazul.turismoregiondemurcia.es). In addition, eight dive sites developed using rotational 3D technology were presented, offering an immersive and interactive experience.
Through these initiatives, which fall within the Blue Tourism–Region of Murcia Destination Cohesion Action (ACD) and are funded by NextGeneration EU funds, the Region strengthens its blue tourism strategy by committing to innovation, sustainability and environmental awareness, while consolidating itself as a benchmark destination for diving and underwater activities throughout the year, particularly in such renowned locations as La Manga and Cabo de Palos.
In this regard, according to the Association of Diving Centres of the Region, more than 57,000 people went diving in the Region of Murcia in 2025—an increase of 8.7 per cent compared to the previous year—with around 75,500 dives and more than 21,000 courses and introductory dives. This activity generated an economic impact of 2 million euros in direct spending at diving centres and a total impact exceeding 6 million euros when accommodation, hospitality, retail and services are taken into account.
