Turismo Costa del Sol renews GIANTX esports sponsorship

Turismo Costa del Sol has renewed its partnership with Málaga-based esports club GIANTX, extending the Costa del Sol brand’s presence on the club’s official kits for the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) and the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT).

Under the expanded agreement, the tourism promotion agency of the Málaga Provincial Council will use GIANTX’s digital and physical channels to promote Málaga’s destinations and tourism offerings. GIANTX reports average live audiences of more than 300,000 viewers per match, peak viewership above 730,000 and millions of additional impressions from the club’s content and social media.

The renewal was presented at GIANTX’s headquarters by Francisco Salado, president of the Málaga Provincial Council and Costa del Sol Tourism, alongside GIANTX leaders José Ramón Díaz and Virginia Calvo. The collaboration began in 2023 with the objective of positioning Málaga as a gaming destination in Europe.

Turismo Costa del Sol said it will link the sponsorship to a wider strategy that includes investing in hotels fitted with facilities and spaces for video game enthusiasts. The promotion will target a young, educated audience that follows esports and digital entertainment and will highlight cultural, gastronomic and sporting experiences in the province beyond traditional sun-and-beach offerings.

GIANTX CEO José Ramón Díaz described the renewal as a point of pride for the club and for the destination: “For GIANTX, it is a source of pride to continue representing the Costa del Sol in the elite of esports. This agreement was groundbreaking, as there are no other alliances like ours, unique in Europe, through which we aim to bring the destination to a new market and reach a young, educated audience. There is no better tool than digital entertainment, gaming, and esports to connect with this audience. Now we are taking another step forward and are delighted to have a partner like the Costa del Sol to continue achieving success and winning titles.”

Francisco Salado commented on changing traveller preferences: “Travelers are no longer just looking for sun and sand. They seek experiences, culture, gastronomy, sports, technology, entertainment, and unique offerings. In this context, gaming and esports represent a great opportunity. That’s why we’re investing in GIANTX. We’re not just talking about a competitive team. We’re talking about the most decorated esports club in Spain, the only Andalusian team in the European elite, and an organization with enormous international reach and a community of millions of followers.”

GIANTX has been active commercially outside the Costa del Sol agreement, signing UTAMED as its Official Education Partner through 2026 and renewing and expanding a long-running partnership with Hot Wheels. Club leaders say those deals are part of a broader sponsorship strategy to support sporting performance and partner promotions.

GIANTX competes at top levels of European esports. The renewed sponsorship provides recurring visibility for Costa del Sol during high-profile LEC and VCT events and is intended to convert the club’s audience reach into tourism interest among younger visitors who follow competitive gaming and online content.