Local authorities in southern Spain have signed an agreement to carry out improvement works to several beaches on the Costa del Sol.

In a development which could make the area even more attractive to overseas property investors, over 5.6 million euros will be invested in beaches on the stretch of coastline between Marbella and Torremolinos, euroweeklynews.com reports.

The project, which is the result of an agreement between the Junta de Andalucia's Ministry for Tourism and the Western Costa del Sol's Association of Municipalities, will aim to upgrade beach facilities for visitors while preserving their natural resources.

As well as beaches in Marbella and Torremolinos, the coastal areas of Benalmadena, Mijas and Fuengirola will benefit from the programme.

Elsewhere on the Costa del Sol, figures recently released by the Spanish Airports Authority reveal that easyJet carried over 2.1 million passengers through Malaga Airport during 2008, representing a year-on-year increase of 16.7%.