The Acting Minister of Industry, Trade, and Tourism, Héctor Gómez, along with the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosana Morillo, represented Spain at the 43rd edition of the fair. They highlighted the progress made in recent years to establish Spain as a global leader in sustainable tourism encompassing environmental, economic, and social aspects.
During the fair, both officials visited the booths of various autonomous communities, including the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Andalusia, Murcia, and Valencia. They conducted meetings with the presidents and councillors of these autonomous communities who were in attendance.
Gómez emphasized, “Spain leads in sustainable tourism, where our destinations combine quality and excellence while respecting the environment and recognizing the role of tourism in society.”
Morillo, in addition to these meetings, also engaged in working sessions with key CEOs from the British tourism sector. During these meetings, positive prospects for the year 2024 were presented.
Morillo expressed her satisfaction, stating, “Available data suggest that the United Kingdom will continue to be our primary source market next year, making our presence at this fair crucial for the sector.”
Discussions during these meetings included the opening of new air routes between the UK and Spain. According to OAG, a global travel data provider, there will be air connections between the two countries from 27 British and 31 Spanish airports by 2024.
Furthermore, Morillo had an important meeting at the Foreign Office with Jennifer Anderson, the Director of Consular Affairs and Crisis. They discussed matters of interest regarding British tourists’ stays in Spain and explored collaborative projects for future seasons.
The press release underlines the United Kingdom as a prominent mature market for Spain, which is expected to close 2023 with international arrivals reaching levels very close to pre-pandemic figures in 2019. Moreover, it is anticipated that tourist spending will significantly exceed that of 2019.
Up until September of this year, British tourists spent nearly €15,854 million, marking a 15% increase compared to the same period the previous year and a 7% rise compared to 2019. In terms of arrivals, Spain welcomed over 13 million British tourists in the first nine months of the year, which represents a 14.6% increase compared to the same period in 2022.
Additionally, during this edition of the WTM, Turespaña launched a robust ‘tax-free’ shopping campaign aimed at British visitors, with the goal of enhancing market loyalty and spending.
The Minister of Tourism stated, “With this measure, we reinforce Spain’s image as a top-level destination, offering a wide range of products and a commitment to social tourism by exporting our culture and sharing experiences.”
Gómez emphasized the importance of the United Kingdom as Spain’s primary market in terms of both the number of tourists and destination spending. He noted that the market continues to grow, leaving behind the uncertainties of Brexit and the pandemic, and the prospects indicate significant room for improvement.
