The acting Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, chaired this afternoon the plenary session of the Spanish Tourism Council, meeting with extraordinary character to analyze the situation facing Brexit and the impact of the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook in the tourism sector Spanish.
During the meeting, the minister clarified that the line of loans (up to a maximum of 200 million euros) that includes the "shock plan" designed by the Government to mitigate the effects of the bankruptcy of the British global tour operator may benefit any company or affected autonomous that develops its activity in the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Valencian Community, Catalonia and Andalusia. He also said that the reduction of Enaire's en route rates will be extended to all airports managed by AENA.
“We have developed this shock plan as a functioning Government, with a Royal Decree-Law provided for emergency situations, but we have to work together, the Executive, the autonomous governments and the private sector; the solution has to be global, from all spheres, ”said Maroto, who added the need to reduce the dependence on turoperation,“ something we all knew, and that's why we have to change tourism management models; I am convinced that we will be strengthened. ”
The minister recalled the actions carried out by the Government since the news of the bankruptcy of the global tour operator was known. First of all, collaborating with the Government of the United Kingdom in the plan for the return of British tourists, which has been developed normally and, once completed, has been encrypted in 177 flights chartered by the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom , according to data provided today by Aena / Ministry of Development. Then, calling a meeting with the Governments of the Autonomous Communities directly affected on September 24, in order to assess its real impact, and convening the meeting of the Interministerial Tourism Commission on October 3, during which time actions were carried out in the areas of connectivity, maintenance of employment, liquidity of companies and the promotion of Spain as a tourist destination.
Regarding Brexit, Reyes Maroto has reported on the Government's contingency plan, articulated around citizens and companies in three areas (normative, logistic and informative) subject to the principle of reciprocity, within the framework of the European Union, and has indicated that "maintaining the commercial and tourist flows of the United Kingdom is essential: preserving the British market is a priority because we want it to remain the first issuer of tourists."
In his intervention, he has reviewed the status of issues such as visas, single European sky, health care, customs, pets, university studies or professional qualifications. Finally, he has referred to the We have Spain in common promotion campaign, launched by Turespaña with the aim of loyalty to British tourists.
Representatives of:
– Secretary of State for Tourism of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism
– Ministries of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Development, Interior, and Health Consumption and Social Welfare
– Governments of all Autonomous Communities and Cities (except the Balearic Islands and Castilla-La Mancha)
– FEMP
– CEOE and CEIM
– UGT and CCOO
– Business Federation of Territorial Associations of Spanish Travel Agencies (FETAVE)
– Spanish Federation of Hospitality and Restoration (FEHR)
– Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations (CEHAT)
– Responsible Tourism Institute
– University of Alicante
– Exceltur
– Hosteltur
– Companies in the sector