Coming Up! 2022

Carlos Barros, a tourism expert specialising in the Brazilian market, was interviewed by Crismeidy Ureña, director of Soy Caribe Premium magazine in Spain. Barros pointed out that Brazil is a different country to the rest of Latin America, "we speak Portuguese and the rest speak Spanish. In Brazil, the mix of cultures is greater and it is a very large country, the whole of Europe fits into Brazil and that is the challenge for tourism, the complexity that Brazil represents" Spain is a very powerful brand, but it is necessary to update this message for this new market that is looking for the experience and then tell others about it. 

Representing Korea, Jorge Salaverry, secretary general of the Spain-Korea Chamber of Commerce, analysed the behaviour of the luxury tourist. "The Korean is a travelling tourist, in 2009 the figures show that 119,000 Koreans visited us, in 2019, before the pandemic 630,000 visited us, for Koreans Spain is the second most visited country after the United States. 

The Arab countries are made up of 22 countries and more than 400 million inhabitants and experts say that only 20% of Arabs can afford to travel to Spain. Hilene Galán Laureano, executive director of the Halal Institute, explained that Arab tourists are looking for the highest quality, exclusive shows, and to get to know the Arab reminiscences present. Fadi Salfeti, president and founder of Echo of Spain in Arabic, referred to the importance of halal food: "Arab tourists can demand evidence that what they eat is halal". 

As for the Tourism forum event, a meeting that took place at the RIU Plaza España hotel and in which the current situation of the incoming mice segment in Spain was presented, Ana Alonso CEO of Spain is Excellence was the moderator of the event and the speakers were Irene Martin Director of WEDWEGWOOD, Patricia Iglesias Sales Manager & Corporate & Mice of the RIU Plaza España hotel, Pepe Puebla CEO Tecnica Incentives & Incoming Group and David Lopez CEO & Co-Founder GRAND CLASS.