Catalonia aims at becoming the favourite Mediterranean destination for British tourists

London (ACN). - Catalonia is promoting its tourist offer this week at the ‘World Travel Market’ fair in London, one of the most important tourism fairs in the world. The main objective is to turn the country into the Mediterranean destination of reference for the British and Irish markets. Catalonia is participating in the fair with a 312-square–meter stand to promote sectors such as gastronomy, culture or golfing, which may appeal to visitors from Great-Britain. In fact, the UK is now the second largest market for Catalonia after France. Up until September this year, 1.4 million Brits visited Catalonia and generated more than €1 billion, meaning an increase in 7.2% since the previous year.

The Catalan Government’s Director General for Tourism, Marian Muro told ACN that the ‘World Travel Market’ was “one of the most important fairs in the world” and that the “British market” was a “priority for Catalonia”. Muro pointed out that this year would end with “very good news” for the country regarding the UK market: 1.4 million British people have visited Catalonia between January and September, spending over €1 billion. Such figures confirm an upward trend that began in 2011 and the Catalan Government expects it to consolidate even more in the years to come.

Promoting Catalonia’s gastronomy, culture and golfing

Muro was very positive when she explained that British tourists had spent more money than previous years because of their growing “interest” in Catalonia. In this regard, the goal of Catalonia’s stand this year is to promote specific sectors of tourism such as gastronomy, culture and golfing. Such sectors can attract visitors with a greater spending budget than the traditional sun-and-beach tourists. In fact, the British market is “the most mature” of Catalonia. For this reason, according to Muro, Catalonia is committed to diversifying its tourist offer for UK visitors.

“Despite the diversity of Catalonia as a tourist destination,  we obviously prioritise different products for each market, and here our priority is golfing” said Muro. She added: “the “city-breaks” offer and attractive cultural activities are also at the basis of Catalan tourism promotion in London”. It so happens that next week, Catalonia will hold the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), the largest golf fair in the world. This sport, which was invented in Scotland, is a big favourite of British tourists and Catalonia has many golf courses on offer.

Muro admitted that Catalonia “is not running away from the sun-and-beach tourism” because it is one of its “main assets” but she stressed that culture was already positioned as an attraction of “more profitability”. “The sun-and-beach tourism is fully complemented by culture or golfing” said the Catalan Director General of Tourism. According to Muro, the ‘Catalonia’ brand consolidates its position on the international market as the years go by, but it is often at the work of the ‘Barcelona’ brand”. “In the long distance market we will still sell Catalonia alongside the ‘Barcelona’ brand because it gives us a lot of strength, because it is very powerful” she said.

Deputy Mayor of Barcelona Sonia Recasens, who visited the stands of her city and of Catalonia in London, said the Catalan capital “strengthens and adds on to the ‘Catalonia’ brand, serving as an engine for the British market”. Recasens said Barcelona tried to offer a “different” kind of product from the rest of Catalonia, while also working as an “engine” for Catalonia. The Deputy Mayor stressed that the aim of the City Council was promoting tourism all around Barcelona, extending it to several other districts beyond the city centre. In this regard, at the London Fair, attractions such as the ’Mercat dels Encants’ (Barcelona’s traditional flee market) or the Born Centre Cultural (a new museum about early 18th century Barcelona in the Born Neighbourhood) are presented.

The world’s most important tourism fair

Each year, 5,000 companies and organisations from 200 countries in the world attend the ‘World Travel Market’ Fair. Approximately 48,000 professionals in the sector of international tourism visit the Fair, looking for attractive offers and new destinations. Catalonia has 312 square meters at its disposal to promote various areas of the country such as the Costa Brava, the Ebro Delta, Barcelona City or Montserrat Mountain. Furthermore, some areas are specifically dedicated to hotels, to amusement parks such as PortAventura or to FC Barcelona. The fair will close its doors on the 7th of November 2013.

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The Catalan Government’s Director General for Tourism, Marian Muro told ACN that the ‘World Travel Market’ was “one of the most important fairs in the world” and that the “British market” was a “priority for Catalonia”. Muro pointed out that this year would end with “very good news” for the country regarding the UK market: 1.4 million British people have visited Catalonia between January and September, spending over €1 billion. Such figures confirm an upward trend that began in 2011 and the Catalan Government expects it to consolidate even more in the years to come.

Promoting Catalonia’s gastronomy, culture and golfing

Muro was very positive when she explained that British tourists had spent more money than previous years because of their growing “interest” in Catalonia. In this regard, the goal of Catalonia’s stand this year is to promote specific sectors of tourism such as gastronomy, culture and golfing. Such sectors can attract visitors with a greater spending budget than the traditional sun-and-beach tourists. In fact, the British market is “the most mature” of Catalonia. For this reason, according to Muro, Catalonia is committed to diversifying its tourist offer for UK visitors.

“Despite the diversity of Catalonia as a tourist destination,  we obviously prioritise different products for each market, and here our priority is golfing” said Muro. She added: “the “city-breaks” offer and attractive cultural activities are also at the basis of Catalan tourism promotion in London”. It so happens that next week, Catalonia will hold the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), the largest golf fair in the world. This sport, which was invented in Scotland, is a big favourite of British tourists and Catalonia has many golf courses on offer.

Muro admitted that Catalonia “is not running away from the sun-and-beach tourism” because it is one of its “main assets” but she stressed that culture was already positioned as an attraction of “more profitability”. “The sun-and-beach tourism is fully complemented by culture or golfing” said the Catalan Director General of Tourism. According to Muro, the ‘Catalonia’ brand consolidates its position on the international market as the years go by, but it is often at the work of the ‘Barcelona’ brand”. “In the long distance market we will still sell Catalonia alongside the ‘Barcelona’ brand because it gives us a lot of strength, because it is very powerful” she said.

Deputy Mayor of Barcelona Sonia Recasens, who visited the stands of her city and of Catalonia in London, said the Catalan capital “strengthens and adds on to the ‘Catalonia’ brand, serving as an engine for the British market”. Recasens said Barcelona tried to offer a “different” kind of product from the rest of Catalonia, while also working as an “engine” for Catalonia. The Deputy Mayor stressed that the aim of the City Council was promoting tourism all around Barcelona, extending it to several other districts beyond the city centre. In this regard, at the London Fair, attractions such as the ’Mercat dels Encants’ (Barcelona’s traditional flee market) or the Born Centre Cultural (a new museum about early 18^th century Barcelona in the Born Neighbourhood) are presented.

The world’s most important tourism fair

Each year, 5,000 companies and organisations from 200 countries in the world attend the ‘World Travel Market’ Fair. Approximately 48,000 professionals in the sector of international tourism visit the Fair, looking for attractive offers and new destinations. Catalonia has 312 square meters at its disposal to promote various areas of the country such as the Costa Brava, the Ebro Delta, Barcelona City or Montserrat Mountain. Furthermore, some areas are specifically dedicated to hotels, to amusement parks such as PortAventura or to FC Barcelona. The fair will close its doors on the 7^th of November 2013.