At the Calp Town Council meeting held on April 14, a formal request was approved to the Spanish Ministry of Industry and Tourism for the Moors and Christians Festival of Calp to be declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest. This recognition is intended to strengthen the visibility and prestige of one of the town's most emblematic celebrations.
The Moors and Christians Festival has been celebrated in Calp since 1977 and is organized by the Moors and Christians Association, with the collaboration of the Festival Committee. It is a celebration that combines religious, popular, and historical events and, since 2013, has held the designation of Festival of Regional Tourist Interest.
The initiative approved by the Town Council aligns with the objectives outlined in Calp's Strategic Tourism Plan, which includes among its lines of action the promotion and dissemination of the town's tourism offerings both nationally and internationally. The aim is to strengthen Calp's attractive and competitive image, diversify its tourism offerings, and consolidate its position in key source markets.
The municipality's commitment to achieving this declaration has been repeatedly expressed in recent years. However, the City Council has encountered several difficulties, including the regulatory changes introduced in 2019, which tightened the requirements for obtaining this type of recognition, as well as the need to adapt the festival's promotional plan to the new conditions established by current regulations.
Following the formation of the current City Council in 2023, the Tourism Department was informed of the intention to resume and definitively advance this process. To this end, a specific online and offline marketing service was commissioned to prepare the application for the Moors and Christians Festival of Calp to be declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest. With the work completed and the necessary reports and technical documentation finalized, the City Council believes that the conditions are now in place to formally submit the application.
The plenary agreement first approves the formal request to the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. It has also been forwarded to the Department of Tourism to continue processing the application, beginning with requesting the required favorable report from the Valencian Regional Government, as stipulated by national regulations. Once this report is obtained, the request will be sent to the Government of Spain to finalize the procedure.
With this step, the Calp City Council reinforces its commitment to promoting and showcasing its festive traditions, while also advancing the recognition of a celebration deeply rooted in the social, cultural, and tourist life of the municipality.
This is the website for the festival: https://morosycristianos.calpe.es/
