The seats that the airlines offer to fly to Spain this December exceed 5.7 million and already reach 81% of the air capacities of the same month of 2019, according to the data published today by Turespaña.

Reyes Maroto: “It is a clear symptom of the confidence that the destination Spain is managing to generate in international markets, together with the foreseeable visit of Spanish residents abroad for Christmas, many of whom did not come last year due to the restrictions that prevailed then. One year later, thanks to vaccination and effective management of the pandemic, the data shows that we are much better off, with the possibility of moving around and enjoying our leisure time safely, respecting the protection measures that are still in force.

Markets such as Poland or the Netherlands show a total recovery for this month of December, with a volume of programmed capacities higher than that of the same month of 2019 (+ 9.4% in the case of Poland, + 1.2% in the case of from the Netherlands). At the opposite extreme are countries that remain closed such as China, with a fall of -91.1% compared to December 2019; o Russia (-73.7%), affected by the EU restriction on non-essential travel.

In the case of the United States, the expected seats are around half of those flown in 2019 (-47.5%). From the UK, projected capacities are at 77.2% of December 2019 levels.

The forecasts for the December-February quarter are even better and place more European markets such as Denmark, Ireland or Switzerland in full recovery. However, it must be taken into account that the programming communicated by the airlines is far from being adjusted beyond a horizon of about three to six weeks, due to both market uncertainty and travel restrictions as well as regulations and European recommendations that oblige companies to cancel with limited horizon conditions to preserve their historical rights.

The Council of Ministers today approved an investment of 19,850,000 euros for destinations on the Caminos de Santiago de Castilla y León. This investment is part of component 14 of the Tourism Sector Modernization and Competitiveness Plan financed with Next Generation-EU funds included in the 2021 Budgets of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and aimed at modernizing and improving the competitiveness of the tourism sector.

“The Camino de Santiago is one of our most international tourist experiences. In the celebration of the Xacobeo Year, the Government has designed a specific strategy to promote the different routes of the Camino as it passes through Spain. Castilla y León is one of the Autonomous Communities that has benefited the most from this plan, whose investments have been made today by the Council of Ministers ”, the minister valued Reyes Maroto.

“Thanks to these actions, we will fine-tune and preserve for the future the historical heritage located in the Castilian and Leonese sections of the Camino, which will strengthen the potential of Castilla y León to attract visitors, at a time when cultural tourism is a travel motivation on the rise, with a growth of 15.9% between 2016 and 2019 ”, added the head of the department.

The Government will transfer these 19.8 million euros to the Board and local beneficiary entities, via two Royal Decrees of direct granting of subsidies that the Council of Ministers approved today.

Heritage rehabilitation

Of the global amount, the regional Executive will receive 5.8 million euros that must be allocated to the maintenance or rehabilitation of assets of cultural interest of public ownership with tourist use located in the following sections of the Camino de Santiago or in its surroundings:

-Castrojeriz (Burgos): Paving the Camino de Santiago in the urban section of Castrojeriz. 800,000 euros

-Carrión de los Condes (Palencia): Restoration of the Cubo and Oriental Canvas of the Wall. 150,000 euros

-Sahagún (León): Restoration of the El Canto Bridge. 1,000,000 euros

-Astorga (León): Restoration of the first section of the northeast canvas of the wall located between La Brecha and Puerta de Rey. 2,000,000 euros

-Villafranca del Bierzo (León): Paving of Calle del Agua (Ribadeo and Santa Catalina). 1,000,000 euros

-La Granja de Moreruela (Zamora): Intervention in the Bedroom Pavilion for Novices and Monks of the Monastery of Santa María de Moreruela. 900,000 euros

Additionally, the following local entities will receive funding to promote transformative actions that improve the sustainability, digitization and competitiveness of their destinations and that, in at least 25%, will be related to the Camino de Santiago:

-Diputación de Palencia 2,000,000 euros

-Benavente Town Hall (Zamora) 3,000,000 euros

The type of actions that may be financed should be aimed at improving sustainable mobility (exits and entrances in cities, itineraries through their most attractive areas, treatment of areas of the Way subject to high traffic, crossroads and highways); the signage and accessibility of the Camino segment (always following its style book); the rehabilitation or enhancement of its cultural assets, the beautification of the historic centers, and sustainable rehabilitation, among others.

Rehabilitation and maintenance of Heritage Cities

As World Heritage Cities, the municipalities of Ávila, Salamanca and Segovia will obtain 9 million euros (3 million each) to finance sustainable rehabilitation and maintenance projects.

The actions that will be financed with this budget in Salamanca include: the integrated walkway that allows access between the upper park and the La Palma Vaguada with viewpoints; performances on the upper platform at the entrance to the museum from C / Joaquín Zahonero; covering structures for the protection of new archaeological remains; consolidation and treatment of the Medieval Fence, the Portillo de San Vicente, the historic walls and the hydraulic irrigation network of the old convent and the integration of urban gardens and complementary facilities.

In the case of Ávila, the actions will take place around Tostado, Jimena Blázquez and Marcelino Santiago streets; Tomás Luís de Victoria and Travesía Dolores de Palacio; Brieva Street and Crossing; Mosén Rubí Square and Bracamonte Street; Plaza Concepción Arenal and Reyes Católicos. In addition, the installation of urban furniture in the Historic Center is contemplated; installation of ornamental lighting in the Church of San Andrés and installation of LED ornamental lighting in the Auditorium and Plaza de San Francisco and the street lighting around San Francisco.

The actions to be financed with this program in Segovia focus on the surroundings of the Aqueduct: conservation of the Plaza de Avendaño, rehabilitation of the Adarve, accessibility of the Postigo del Consuelo viewpoint; in the forum of the Roman city; in the Romanesque church of San Nicolás; and in the gardens of the Poets and the historic area.

“Rural tourism is a good antidote against depopulation, because it is capable of generating activity throughout the year and having an impact on other economic sectors such as food and crafts or handicrafts, promoting local consumption and giving prestige to local products. Spain celebrates this initiative of the UNWTO that will contribute to putting our rural destinations on the map ”, has valued the Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés, who has accompanied the mayors in the delivery ceremony held at the Marriot Auditorium hotel that hosts the 24 UNWTO General Assembly.

The Secretary General of the UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili, has been in charge of delivering the seal to the mayors of Morella, Rhamsés Ripollés, and Lekunberri, Gorka Azpiroz, among 42 other selected towns. The event was also attended by the councilor of Cantavieja, Ricardo Altabás.

For the mayor of Morella, "this recognition is an incentive to continue working for the future of the rural world, which will thus be able to raise its voice in international tourism."

Gorka Azpiroz has celebrated the "recognition that this distinction represents the work done in recent years by the Lekunberri city council and that it will reinforce Navarra's position in international tourism".

For the Cantavieja councilor, just being part of this new network "is a great success because it gives this humble town of Teruel access to the globalized world of tourism."

A stamp and an assistance program

The Best Tourism Villages seal, valid for three years and with the possibility of renewal, recognizes towns that are notable examples of rural tourism destinations. The initiative aims to maximize the sector's contribution to reducing regional inequalities and fighting the depopulation of rural areas. Likewise, it seeks to promote the role of tourism in the appreciation and preservation of rural towns and their landscapes, knowledge systems, biological and cultural diversity, as well as local values ​​and activities, without forgetting gastronomy.

Those towns that do not fully meet the criteria to obtain the seal, but also stand out as examples, can become part of the network by joining the Upgrade program, as is the case of Cantavieja. As members of the program, these villages will receive assistance from UNWTO and partner entities to further improve.

Being part of the network allows you to participate in a space for the exchange of experiences and good practices, while giving access to political recommendations and knowledge.

We, the ministers responsible for the tourism portfolio, gathered in the city of Madrid in the context of the XXIV General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization.

We reveal that the tourism sector as a key sector synonymous with the generation of prosperity in contemporary societies, has historically emerged as one of the most dynamic areas in terms of employability, with a very broad potential for transforming society in its orientation towards sustainable tourism and quality.

We found that the progressive incorporation of women into the labor market during the last decades has contributed significantly to promoting the sector in such a way that, at present, women account for 54% of the people employed in tourism, over 39% in the economy in general.

We reaffirm that the female role permeates all layers of the sector and results in its added value, not only for holding positions in all the trades and subsectors of tourism, but also for its significant presence in the faculties and schools of hospitality and tourism.

We acknowledge the differences in working conditions that are also reproduced in the sector despite efforts to equalize the conditions of men and women. With some positive data, such as the lower wage gap in the sector compared to all economic sectors, the global problems that affect women are also visible in tourism-related work.

We found that traditional gender roles and stereotypes continue to influence the division of tasks in the sector, with the feminization of precarious jobs being a reality with which chambermaids, cleaners or cooks coexist, among others.

We consider that the existence of a “glass ceiling” hinders the arrival of women to leadership positions, contributes to the wage gap and the gap in pensions and continues to be linked to the double shift – work and family -, as a result of the unequal distribution of domestic tasks, as well as social factors such as prejudices about the leadership capacity of women compared to men.

We remember that the pandemic has been especially hard for women and a reflection of the disproportionate impact that crises have on workers in the sector, highlighting the deep structural inequalities that exist between men and women, intensifying the invisibility of “unpaid tasks” and even threatening the conquest of women's rights, especially when racial or ethnic origin, migrant status, disability, age or other social and personal factors intersect with gender, increasing the vulnerability of women.

In light of the above and with a view to the recovery of the tourism sector,

We affirm and celebrate that it is important to reinforce the "UNWTO Plan of Action", drawn up on the basis of the "World Report on Women in Tourism" of 2019, as well as the recently announced "First Plane Project" aimed at promoting the empowerment of women and tackling the gender inequalities accentuated after the crisis generated by the pandemic in the tourism sector.

Therefore, the undersigned ministers declare the importance of continuing to promote the potential of tourism to empower women:

– Making visible and recognizing the preeminent role of women in the tourism sector, placing them at the center of future public policies and developing gender equality strategies in the tourism sector, in line with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the Agenda 2030.

– Encouraging that these public policies create incentives for society as a whole to advance towards gender equality objectives, paying special attention to intersectional discrimination to favor the empowerment of the most vulnerable women.

– Working to continue improving the working conditions of women, reducing the wage gap, supporting the actions and initiatives of women entrepreneurs, making visible the "unpaid tasks", guaranteeing equal pay between men and women in the tourism sector and breaking the "glass roof".

– Preparing ourselves for the future scenario, promoting digitization as a vehicle for training, education and entrepreneurship for women, as well as an instrument for improving the collection of disaggregated data and analysis with a gender perspective of the sector.

And in this framework, we commit to:

Resume with greater force our effort to equalize men and women in the tourism sector, to recognize the work of women on an equal basis and achieve a more inclusive, fairer and more egalitarian sector, which is the engine of development and transformation of our societies and that fosters the pride of all the women who work in it for being part of a collective project of shared well-being.

From December 1 to 3, Madrid will host the 24th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), where the agenda to reactivate world tourism after the negative impact of the pandemic will be defined, with a commitment to a more inclusive and sustainable tourism .

More than 500 delegates from around the world, including Ministers of Tourism from UNWTO Member States, international organizations, as well as leaders from the private sector and civil society, will participate in the meeting of the supreme body of this specialized agency of the United Nations. .

The UNWTO Secretariat will present a comprehensive update of its work program, while bringing together the global tourism sector to relaunch tourism. During the meeting, which will be attended by the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, a special message from the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, will be screened.

Innovation, education and rural development

In accordance with UNWTO's core priorities, the General Assembly will focus on building for the future through innovation, education and tourism for rural development.

In Madrid, the official headquarters of the UNWTO, the organization will launch its new initiative 'Digital Futures for SMEs', designed to help small tourism businesses take advantage of the benefits of innovation.

Likewise, the winners of the first edition of the UNWTO initiative “Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO” will be announced, recognizing the best examples of rural destinations that embrace tourism as a pillar of growth and opportunity. , while the UNWTO 2021 Student League will celebrate the future of the sector.

The Secretary General of the UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili, will present its report to Members, outlining how the Organization led the global tourism response to the unprecedented crisis caused by COVID-19, in particular by ensuring vital support for jobs and businesses and by ensuring standards and Harmonized protocols to restore confidence in travel. The report will also set out plans for a more inclusive and resilient future, including the revision of the UNWTO 2030 Agenda for Africa and the first International Code for the Protection of Tourists, also designed to restore confidence in travel.

The Secretary General thanked the Spanish Government for agreeing to host the event, after the Kingdom of Morocco was forced to renounce sponsoring it due to public health considerations. "In difficult circumstances, Spain has stepped forward to host this important General Assembly. In the UNWTO host city, Madrid, world tourism will come together to plan a future in which our sector develops its unique potential as a pillar of growth. inclusive and opportunities for all ", has assured Zurab.

For the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, “The celebration of this international event will allow to strengthen the leadership of Spain in world tourism and of Madrid as the headquarters of the UNWTO, which will be the epicenter of the debate on the reactivation of tourism and its contribution to the great challenges such as sustainability, digitization and social and territorial cohesion. Spain will share in this event its experience in the vaccination process and in the implementation of the Covid Certificate that is allowing our country to be considered as a safe destination and the ambitious plan of modernization and competitiveness of the tourism sector that will allow increasing the quality, sustainability, digitization and diversity of our tourism ”.

Statutory Meetings and Elections

The 24th session of the General Assembly will begin with the celebration of the Plenary Session of the Affiliate Members of the UNWTO. Here, private companies, destination management organizations, and representatives of civil society and academia, will share initiatives for the recovery of tourism and ideas for sustainable growth. They are also expected to approve the revised legal framework for Affiliate Members, which will continue to promote UNWTO's transition to a more agile, dynamic and responsive organization.

The UNWTO Program and Budget Committees will meet to underline the Secretariat's commitment to transparency. Members will also be asked to confirm the appointment of Secretary General Pololikashvili for a second term, following the recommendation of the UNWTO Executive Council held earlier in the year. Together Members will also vote on the themes of the 2022 and 2023 World Tourism Day celebrations, and the host country of the 25th General Assembly in 2023.

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

Send to accreditations@mincotur.es before Monday, November 29 at 9:00 am:

– Name and surname

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– Date of birth