Eventos

🏨 Héctor Ruiz-Velázquez will present 'Hotel Hábitat València' at Feria Hábitat València from September 30 to October 3, 2024, merging Spanish habitat industry and hotel innovation. The installation reflects Mediterranean atmosphere and links with Albufera's natural surroundings. ITH-led conference program will address the hospitality industry's future. Ruiz-Velázquez, an influential Puerto Rican architect with studios in Madrid and Dubai, also discusses upcoming projects in Cancún, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Dubai, and collaborations with Spanish brands like Point and Lladró. Feria Valencia will host combined fairs across 90,000 square meters, attracting over 48,000 professional visitors from 70 countries.

🚩 Air France Airbus A320 flying from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Barcelona-El Prat declared an emergency due to onboard fire indication. Air traffic controllers on X (formerly Twitter) facilitated a continuous descent, shortening the route for a direct approach with priority to runway 24R. The aircraft, cleared of conflicting traffic, landed safely at Barcelona Airport and was attended by firefighters without notable incidents.

🏖️ Registration for the 11th edition of Cultourfair, the B2B fair for premium cultural tourism and MICE, ends on September 9. The event will take place from September 29 to October 1 at Las Caldas Villa Termal by Blau Hotels in Oviedo, featuring up to 50 selected buyers specializing in luxury travel. The program includes up to 30 pre-scheduled appointments, networking sessions, and a projected business impact from previous editions estimated at 200 million euros. Last year, 130 companies from 36 countries participated with over 2,000 business meetings.

💰 Galicia's pensioners can reserve Imserso travel program spots starting 25 September 2023, with 886,269 available for national and international destinations. Reservations open 23 September for other Spanish regions. Travel commences in October, and sales are in two phases: 23-24 September for select regions and 25-26 for the rest. Three travel lots are offered: 443,887 for coastal mainland, 230,039 for islands, and 212,343 for city breaks and European tourism, starting from €124.68. Eligibility includes Spanish pensioners, benefit recipients aged 60+, or residents abroad. Reservations require a max 20% deposit, made through accredited agencies or online with an Imserso accreditation code.

🍷 Feria de Valladolid will host the 6th International Wine Tourism Fair (FINE) on March 5-6. The 2021 enotourism industry generated $7 billion globally, forecasted to nearly double by 2026 to $13 billion. FINE 2020 attracted 140 wineries, routes, hotels, and 84 buyers from 23 countries. The event features an international contracting market, conferences, roundtables, and workshops analyzing wine tourism trends.

💶 Pensionistas to receive accreditation letters in early September for the Imserso 2024-2025 tourism program. About 200,000 letters sent daily to reach around 3 million recipients. Letters include a unique key number, assigned travel day, and travel mode for the upcoming season, along with details about destinations, dates, and prices. Sales expected to start in September, vacations from October. 🏖️

🌊 Pescaturismo and marine tourism are on the rise in Spain, attracting more businesses and travelers. Balfegó has offered the Tuna Tour in L'Ametlla de Mar since 2012. In 2023, Pescaturismo platform recorded 5,000 excursions and 2,000 tourists across the coast. Galicia leads in activity, while Basque Country projects gain strength with regional government support. Andalusia's season started in May, and in Burela, tourists can attend bonito auctions. Mainly foreign tourists from the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Scandinavia are involved, with increased interest from Spanish families.

💡 Spanish air traffic controllers revealed on their X (formerly Twitter) account a curious incident over Spanish airspace. Stratospheric balloons from Morocco were detected by Flightradar24 above the Canary Islands, flying at higher altitudes than commercial flights. These balloons are typically used for communications, data transmission, surveillance, and intelligence, and their presence is notable in one of Europe's busiest air corridors.

🏖️ At Phocuswright Europe 2024, technologies suggest tourists will prioritize booking experiences over flights and hotels. Roberto Bermúdez from Juniper Experiences revealed a star-based classification system for activities, aiming to standardize offerings on B2B platforms. The fragmented and immature online experience market is years behind hotel and flight marketplaces. The goal is to mitigate overtourism by distributing tourist flows better and offering a broader range of categorized activities. The increase in activities is driven by freelancers, SMEs, and the changing way trips are booked, focusing first on desired vacation activities.

🏢 Málaga is evolving into a national "Silicon Valley," drawing significant investment in the technology sector, boosting its economy, and establishing it as an innovation and entrepreneurship hub. Valencia has enhanced its air connectivity, expanded its hotel offerings, and boasts event infrastructure like the Palacio de Congresos and Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. The growth of Valencia and Málaga in MICE tourism is largely due to the efforts of local Convention Bureaus, which promote the cities as event destinations and work closely with service providers to ensure smooth event operations. Consultia Business Travel's MICE director Renato Peña highlights their role in incorporating industry innovations to stay competitive.