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🌍 The third edition of the Sustainable Tourism Ágora takes place on October 10 in Madrid, hosted by Green & Human and Hosteltur at the Albéniz Theater from 9:30 AM to 2:15 PM. Over 20 sector leaders, including Simón Pedro Barceló of Grupo Barceló, Miguel Sanz of Turespaña, and Tomeu Bennasar of Iberostar Group, will discuss the implementation of sustainable practices and adaptation to stricter environmental regulations. Registration is available for in-person or streaming attendance.

🌳 Costa Rica has been pioneering sustainable tourism strategies since the 1970s. María Fernanda Leiton, from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute, highlights that 80% of the country's hotels are micro or small businesses, offering a wide range from 1 to 5 stars. The country promotes a sustainable model, attracting tourists willing to pay for a differentiated experience. The Institute also fosters a sustainable destination management program involving 33 destinations, focusing on local communities' needs and long-term ecosystem and cultural preservation. An important event, the III Ágora de Turismo Sostenible, will take place on October 10 in Madrid's Teatro Albéniz.

🚨 Meliá and Renfe partner to promote sustainable travel through the "Reward trip: bueno para el planeta, bueno para ti" campaign, rewarding train travelers in Spain with 1,000 extra MeliáRewards points and 100 Renfecitos upon presenting their AVE, Avant, or ALVIA train tickets at Meliá hotels. The initiative, lasting three months, aims to reduce carbon emissions by encouraging eco-friendly transportation choices, with train travel emitting up to five times less carbon than other modes.

📋 Digitalizing the Finance Department is crucial for efficiency and productivity, eliminating manual errors and saving time. The transformation involves implementing tools for automated invoice data management and payroll integration. Key benefits include real-time financial reports, workflow management, future budget optimization, and indirect cost savings. Digitalization begins with assessing needs and choosing the right ERP software. Zucchetti Spain's Solmicro ERP ensures process integration, reducing manual work and enhancing efficiency. Travel management software further aids in expense control, policy adherence, and regulatory compliance. ???? October 7, 2024.

🏨 La Llave de Oro acquired the 4-star Hotel Almirante in Barcelona’s Via Laietana for €31 million. The 86-room hotel, currently rented to Ilunion Hotels, spans 3,500 sqm across 9 floors, including a restaurant space. Continuing their hotel portfolio expansion, La Llave de Oro plans a 4-star hotel in L'Hospitalet with 93 double rooms, at a cost of €16 million, aiming to open by early 2027.

📊 Eva Blasco of CEAV introduced a panel on NDC, a major concern for agencies due to airline adoption. Pedro Fiol of Aviba described NDC's imposition as challenging. Paloma Sanz of Iberia noted a significant uptake, with over 75% in vacation and 24% in corporate segments. More than 10,000 daily bookings are made through NDC, and 75% of Spain's Ibex 35 companies use it, some with over 40% adoption. Marcos Arquellada of Amadeus reported an airline added every three months, emphasizing close work with travel agencies.

🌟 In October, Spain's hotels amassed over 630,000 bookings and 3.8 million nights. Baleares and Canarias outperform 2023 figures; peninsula hotels 25% shy of last October's bookings. Short stays of 1-2 nights and half-board demand surge. Baleares nearly matches 2023 with an 8% uptick in stays, favoring 4-star hotels (70% of bookings) and half-board. Popular Baleares zones include Playa de Palma and Cala Millor. Canarias beats October 2023 by 5% in bookings, with 4-star hotels leading (68.5%) and half-board on the rise. Top Canarias areas are Maspalomas and Costa Adeje. Peninsula hotels trail last October by 31%; however, 4-star accommodations dominate at 84.5%, and online agencies contribute 37.7% to bookings, with Booking.com as a key channel.

📈 Ingrid Graells Paul, as TTC president, participated in the 12th #ForumTurisTIC, discussing digital transformation in tourism and the value of data. The EU's 2020 strategy aims to create secure data spaces for companies to safely share information. The TTC, over 80 'traveltech' organizations in Catalonia, sees this as a strategic decision-making and growth opportunity. Cloud computing infrastructures are vital for data management and fostering innovation. The TTC is engaging in collaborations, including with Huawei Cloud. The event took place at the Paraninfo of the Diputació de Barcelona, organized by Eurecat and other local authorities.

🌏 The "Una visión del turismo sostenible en las islas" declaration, advocated by the Canary Islands Government, was unanimously approved by the CRPM Island Commission of the European Union. The meeting took place in Gozo, Malta, with the goal of integrating the proposals into the EU's new legislative roadmap. Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo highlighted the challenges of population growth and spreading tourism benefits among all residents. The region calls for an EU-wide "global plan" towards sustainable tourism, addressing land use, resource management, housing issues, transport policies, environmental protection, and energy production.

📌 Cloudbeds, a leader in hotel management software, and Mirai, a leader in hotel distribution technology and direct booking optimization, announced a strategic partnership aimed at transforming hotel reservations, distribution, and marketing initiatives. This alliance will provide advanced tools for direct booking optimization, operational streamlining, and digital marketing campaign expansion. The integration of Cloudbeds' property management system (PMS) and Mirai's technology will give Cloudbeds' properties access to Mirai's robust distribution network and marketing tools. Mirai's services will be extended to more properties, offering unique solutions for specific market needs. Cloudbeds, founded in 2012, serves tens of thousands of properties in over 150 countries, named best PMS and Channel Manager (2021-2024) by Hotel Tech Report, and best global PMS provider (2022) by World Travel Awards. It was also recognized in Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 in 2023. Mirai, with over 25 years of experience and more than 3,900 hotels as clients, offers a suite of services for maximizing direct sales and reducing distribution costs.