Document emanating from the XII Ministerial Meeting of Ibero-American Tourism, in which ministers and authorities from 17 Latin American countries agreed to give a strong boost to tourism as an important engine of sustainable development. The meeting was held on March 9 and 10, 2020 in Andorra, within the framework of the XXVII Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government.
The Secretary of State for Tourism of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism has prepared, under the coordination of the Ministry of Health and with the participation of the sector, a Guide of good practices for establishments and workers in the Spanish tourism sector, in order that they can act on the situation produced by the coronavirus COVID-19.
The guide is a help tool to ensure activity in companies or workplaces and at the same time protect the health of their staff and their customers. For its preparation, the instructions and recommendations prepared by the Ministry of Health, the “Information Document on the coronavirus COVID-19” of the hotel business association HOSBEC and the Guide for the elaboration of the action plan of the companies have been taken into account against emergencies approved by CCOO, UGT, CEOE and CEPYME on the occasion of the outbreak of influenza A in 2009.
In addition to the basic general measures, it includes specific prevention measures in tourist accommodation (management, reception, technical and maintenance services, dining rooms, bars and kitchens, cleaning staff and maids, or children's recreation areas). It also contemplates the procedures to be followed in case of establishment or room with confirmed positive case, and communication policies and information flows.
This is an open document to which new information, recommendations or instructions will be incorporated depending on the evolution and expansion of the virus. The guide is available at www.mincotur.gob.es
The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, met today with the Mayor of Santiago de Compostela, Xosé Sánchez Bugallo, to address different aspects related to the planning and international promotion of the Holy Year of 2021.
Reyes Maroto has pointed out that the Government “is the first pilgrim of Xacobeo 2021, since it is carrying out works in municipalities and provinces to guarantee the success of the Holy Year and promoting promotional actions to increase its notoriety.
The minister has indicated that the Government will spend 92 million euros in works of rehabilitation of buildings of architectural interest, restoration of works of cultural interest and infrastructure improvement of numerous municipalities located on the different roads. He also highlighted the importance of an event like Xacobeo 2021, since “the arrival of thousands of pilgrims is an event of great economic, social and cultural importance for Galicia, but also for the whole of Spain, and represents an opportunity for increase knowledge of the Camino de Santiago in international markets ”.
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, through Turespaña, has developed a Marketing Plan that includes a promotion strategy in collaboration with the Autonomous Communities. This coordinated action aims, according to Maroto, "to increase its dissemination, impact, efficiency and profitability."
The Plan places special emphasis on the development of actions adapted to the different demand profiles of international tourism markets. More than one hundred actions are scheduled, including familiarization trips, media presentations, reverse trips, direct actions to the public and online marketing.
In coordination with the Xunta, the nerve center of the promotional actions will be the Turespaña office in Rome. An interactive screen with a map of the Camino will be installed, multimedia presentations will be made to the final public, media and professionals of the sector, actions will be carried out with travel agents and all information on social networks will be energized. Also, Turespaña will enable a website, and distribute written material and videos of its own production in several languages.
Content: www.spain.info
Road booklet in nine languages: https://www.spain.info/es/descarga-folletos/#ul_13
Microsite web in five languages: https://brochure.spain.info/camino-de-santiago/
Video in five languages: https://vimeo.com/307686497
Spain received 4.1 million international tourists during the first month of the year, 1.4% less than in the same month of 2019, while its expenditure increased 2.1% to 4,779 million euros. These are data from the surveys on Tourist Movements in Frontera (FRONTUR) and Tourism Expenditure (EGATUR) prepared by the National Statistics Institute.
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Oliver, highlighted “the good start of the year with a new increase in tourism spending that guarantees higher levels of profitability in the sector, which translates into better jobs. From the Government we are working closely with the other administrations and the private sector to strengthen a competitive, sustainable and profitable tourism model ”. Oliver has also referred to COVID-19 and considers that “there are no public health reasons for not traveling to Spain. They are moments to keep calm. Spain is a safe country and we have the best public health and the best health professionals ”.
During the first month of the year, the main issuing markets were the United Kingdom, with 718,248 international tourists (11% less), Germany, with 493,711 (4.6% less), and France, with 480,364 (7.7% plus). It also highlights the increase experienced by the Netherlands (7.1% more, with 163,329 tourists).
The Canary Islands was the autonomous community that received the most international visitors, with more than 1.1 million (5% less than in 2019), followed by Catalonia, with 869,168 (4.5% less), and the Community of Madrid, with 611,422 (4.6% more).
The average daily expenditure of January tourists increased by 4.3% and stood at 144 euros.
The Autonomous Communities of main destination with the highest total expenditure in January were the Canary Islands (with 1,423 million euros, 2.9% less than in the same period of 2019), Catalonia (with 904 million and a decrease of 4.2%) and the Community of Madrid (with 874 million and an increase of 13.7%). It also highlights the growth of Andalusia – 13.1% -, which reached 674 million.
As for the issuing countries, the United Kingdom has the highest expenditure and accumulates 730 million euros in the first month of the year (9.4% less). It is followed by Germany, with 570 million (3.5% more) and the Nordic countries as a whole – Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden – with 437 million (7.1% less). The expenditure of France, with 297 million euros, increases by 11.3%.
The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, and the Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Oliver, have visited the facilities of the Palacio de Congresos de Madrid.
This week, Turespaña, under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, has released for public information, for a period of one month, the feasibility study for the rehabilitation and subsequent operation of the Palacio de Congresos de Madrid.
After the visit, Minister Reyes Maroto stressed that "it is a space that can host large congresses and the work of the Government in these months has been put on the road map for the reopening of the facility after several years closed." Maroto said that "one more step has been taken to restart an iconic infrastructure in Madrid, which will help consolidate the city as a congress destination."
The content of this feasibility study is available to those interested in the Turespaña website (www.tourspain.es). The allegations to it must be sent by email before March 15.
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Oliver, travels to Brussels on Tuesday as part of a delegation composed of the Secretaries of State of Croatia and Portugal, the Minister of Tourism of Albania and the Secretary General of the UNWTO to hold meetings with the main European institutions
This trip is the continuation of the meeting held in Fitur's framework on the future of sustainable tourism in the context of the European Green Pact. During it, it will be discussed how tourism can help achieve the objectives set by the European Commission and, especially, those reflected in the Green Pact.
Isabel Oliver will hold a working dinner on Tuesday with the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira. The next day he will meet with David Sassoli, president of the European Parliament, and with team members of Frans Timmermans, executive vice president of the European Commission and head of the European Green Pact.
Subsequently, it will intervene in the Committee on Transport and Tourism to defend the importance of the sector as a lever for inclusive socio-economic development in Europe and to detail the Spanish tourism policy, whose main focus is the sustainability and compliance with the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda.
Social Security affiliates linked to tourism activities grew 3.5% year-on-year in January, reaching a total of 2,371,103 members, according to the data included in the Tourism Employment Report prepared by Turespaña, under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and spread today. It is the highest figure in the historical series of a month of January.
Employment in tourism activities has added in the last year 80,447 workers in high labor, representing 12.5% of the total affiliates in the national economy.
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Oliver, celebrates “the good start of the year at the labor level, which confirms the great dynamism of the sector. Tourism has become a real lever of change and prosperity in the whole of Spanish territory and a key pillar to generate opportunities in the so-called "Empty Spain". From the Government we are promoting a new tourism policy based on the diversification of products and destinations, on tourism intelligence and on the improvement of the quality of employment, through measures such as the Master Plan for Decent Work, the table for quality of employment in hospitality or the protocol of 'Fair, socially responsible hotels'.
Of the 80,447 high occupations in December, 47,592 correspond to hospitality. The section "other activities" rose by 30,752 members and travel agencies had an increase of 2,103 workers. The report highlights the positive performance of this branch of activity since December 2014, as it had reduced employment figures continuously in the previous six years (2008-2014).
Tourist employment grew in all Autonomous Communities. In absolute figures, employment in the hotel and travel agencies / tour operators as a whole experienced its greatest increase in Andalusia, the Community of Madrid, Catalonia and the Valencian Community. Finally, in relative terms, the year-on-year increases in Murcia (5.4%) and Andalusia (4.8%) stand out.
The full report can be found here: https://www.tourspain.es/es-es/ConocimientoTuristico/AfiliacionSS/empleoEnTurismoNotaAfiliacionALaSS0120.pdf
According to the data corresponding to the Survey of Active Population released today by Turespaña, under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, in the fourth quarter of 2019 the figure of 2,677,371 employed linked to tourism activities was reached, representing 93,850 employees more than in the same period of the previous year and an interannual growth of 3.6%.
Those employed in the tourism sector accounted for 13.4% of the total employment of the Spanish economy, while the unemployment rate stood at 12.1%, lower than 13.8% of the national average, indicating the better employability prospects in the Spanish tourism sector.
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Oliver, positively appreciates that “month by month tourism is consolidated as the main driver of job creation, and that this is increasingly high quality, as indicated by the increase in indefinite contracts and full-time days; from the Government we will continue working on this path to achieve greater job stability, better conditions, safety and training. ”
Especially noteworthy in this quarter is the improvement in the quality of tourism employment, with an increase in indefinite hiring of 10.2% – 68% of total contracts – while employees who work with a temporary contract decreased (-3 ,one%).
In relation to the type of working day, full-time employees increased by 5.2% and represent 73.5% of the total, compared to part-time employees, which grew by 6.4%.
The Autonomous Communities with the highest number of tourist flows (Catalonia, Andalusia, Community of Madrid, Canary Islands and Valencian Community) are, in turn, the ones that generate the busiest in the sector, bringing together, in the fourth quarter of 2019, 74, 6% of the total employed in the sector.
Due to growth in the number of employed in tourism, La Rioja (21.8%), Asturias (12.7%) and Andalusia (11.7%) stand out, while Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura were the communities where the number of employed persons decreased more than the same quarter of the previous year.
Spain closed the year 2019 with the arrival of 83.7 million international tourists, 1.1% more than in 2018, while spending increased 2.8%, to 92.278 million euros. These are the main data of the surveys on Tourist Movements in Frontier (FRONTUR) and Tourism Expenditure (EGATUR) prepared by the National Institute of Statistics. It is the highest levels reached by the historical series.
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Oliver, celebrates “the good figures with which she has closed 2019 reaching a new record in the arrival of international tourists and in spending and showing the dynamism of tourism in a year not without difficulties such as Brexit and Thomas Cook's bankruptcy. These magnificent data allow us to face 2020 with solid pillars and with the confidence that we have a strong sector capable of maintaining Spain as a world leader in tourism competitiveness. ”
In 2019, the main issuing markets were the United Kingdom, with more than 18 million international tourists, 2.4% less than the previous year; Germany, with almost 11.2 million (-2.1%), and France, with 11.1 million tourists, (-1.2%).
Among the other countries of residence, the growth experienced by the United States (+ 12.6%), Russia (+ 6.9%) and Ireland (+ 6.0%) should be noted.
By national destinations, Catalonia was the community that received the most tourists, about 19.4 million, representing an increase of 0.8%. It was followed by the Balearic Islands (with about 13.7 million and a 1.2% decrease) and the Canary Islands (with more than 13.1 million, 4.4% less).
It is worth noting the growth of Madrid, which in 2019 received 7,638,375 tourists, which represents an increase of 7% over the previous year.
In 2019, the main destination autonomous communities with the highest total expenditure were Catalonia (with € 21,325 million and an increase of 4.1%), the Canary Islands (with € 16,866 million, 1.4% less than in 2018), and the Balearic Islands (with € 14,878 M, an increase of 0.8%).
The Community of Madrid stands out in this section, with an increase of 12.6% and € 10,452 million.
As for the issuing countries, the United Kingdom has the highest accumulated expenditure in the year with € 17,986 M (+ 0.2%). It is followed by Germany, with € 11,722 M (-2.1%) and France, with € 7,596 M (+ 2.6%).
The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, and the Director General of Cultural Industries and Cooperation, Adriana Moscoso, have held a working meeting this afternoon with representatives of the Spain Film Commission (SFC), which have been analyzed the opportunities of the audiovisual industry in our country. The meeting was attended by James Costos, honorary ambassador of the SFC, its president, Carlos Rosado, and Óscar Puente, mayor of Valladolid.
For Reyes Maroto, “the Spanish audiovisual industry is in good health, and that is why we want to continue promoting our country in the production of content, which reports important benefits for our external image in this area, as well as for the domestic economy and the tourism in the territories that host these productions ”.
Within this state commitment to the promotion of the audiovisual industry in Spain, the Government's intention to create an audiovisual hub in our country is framed.
“It is about making visible in other countries our potential as a venue for filming of films or international series produced by large platforms, as well as accentuating their potential as a source of activity, business and employment,” added Reyes Maroto.
In this area there are initiatives such as the ICEX, Audiovisual from Spain, a brand that brings together Spanish companies in the film and television content sector for international promotion. One of its areas, called Rolling in Spain, disseminates information about the incentives it has to shoot in our territory, the facilities for producing productions and the wide variety of landscapes that our country hosts.
On the other hand, there is a growing interest on the part of the tourist to visit places where films and series of great audience have been filmed, which opens an opportunity to promote these destinations and promote the visit to these places.
According to a study presented in April 2018 by TCI Research, eighty million people chose their travel destination based on movie and television series locations. For Reyes Maroto, “this phenomenon represents an alternative to diversify the tourist offer and combat seasonality; cinematographic tourism is a powerful tourist promotion tool with which the territories have to enhance their differentiation and visibility ”.
With the aim of promoting the audiovisual industry in Spain, in March of last year the Ministry of Tourism signed with the Spain Film Commission and the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) an Intentions Protocol aimed at promoting of cinematographic tourism. This protocol includes structural actions, to support the generation of new tourism products, services and foreign promotion.