The fifth edition of the annual SIE – Spain is Excellence conference, held on 26 October in Madrid, addressed
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Madrid, 26 October 2026. Last Monday, the VP Plaza España Design Hotel hosted the fifth edition of Coming Up!, the annual forum organised by SIE – Spain is Excellence. Around 300 professionals, companies and organisations from the sector took part in a conference focusing on the shift from mass tourism to value-based tourism.
Ana Alonso, CEO of SIE, opened the event. In her speech, she advocated a model that generates greater value for destinations, based on differentiation, the quality of the experience, and Spain’s cultural, gastronomic and natural heritage.
The first panel, «Spain as a home and destination: the expat traveller’s new perspective», was moderated by Ana Alonso. The starting point: the number of highly skilled expatriates living in Spain has risen from around 43,000 in 2021 to more than 163,000 in 2025.
Helena Lamers, Director of International Markets at SIE, outlined the breakdown: Barcelona accounts for 31 %, Madrid for 24 % and Málaga for 11 %. She added that the number of digital nomads is growing at an annual rate of 40 %. This group, she emphasised, does not merely consume tourism services: they also recommend hotels, restaurants and destinations to their personal and professional circles.
The portrait was completed with three complementary views. Alba Lucía Reyes Contreras (Café Juan Valdez Spain) focused on the Colombian community, which numbers close to 980,000 residents and particularly values exclusivity and personalised service. Roger Cooke, MBE, FRICS (Hispano-British Foundation) painted a picture of an increasingly young, diverse and discerning expatriate community, whilst Sonsoles González-Ferro (SGF Club) pointed out that, for international families, the community, safety and discretion are just as important as the destination.
The second panel, «Escaping the crowds: the destination begins where the queue ends», was moderated by Noemi Navas (La Vanguardia). The speakers agreed that major tourist attractions remain essential, but can serve to direct travellers towards destinations that are less crowded.
Núria Perich, from the Catalan Tourism Agency, presented the Grand Tour of Catalonia as an example. The journey from Barcelona to Tarragona, which takes an hour on the motorway, becomes a seven-day itinerary exploring the region’s heritage, cuisine and inland landscapes.
Fernando Márquez de la Plata, founder and CEO of Inspiring Soho, opted for a more leisurely trip, which he summed up in a single idea: visit fewer places, but experience them more deeply.
The third panel, which focused on the power of alliances, was moderated by Ana Márquez (COOL). The discussion centred on how collaboration between the hospitality, fashion, culture and retail sectors is transforming the traveller’s experience and attracting new audiences.
Andrés Aberasturi (Pelonio Group) found that demand for cultural programmes in hotels is no longer seasonal, and Andrea de Juan (Silbon) championed long-term partnerships, citing the brand’s collaboration with Multiópticas as an example. Laura del Pozo (Rosewood Villa Magna) brought the debate to a close by demonstrating how a hotel can integrate art, fashion and sustainability, through initiatives such as the reuse of textiles.
The final panel discussion, on gastronomy as a destination, was moderated by Germán Jiménez (El Español). The participants agreed that culinary excellence no longer depends solely on Michelin stars: travellers are looking for hospitality, authenticity and a connection with the local area.
The food critic and businessman Alberto de Luna He spoke of the rise of «casual luxury», with a more personalised and flexible service. Along the same lines, Soraia Durán (Suite Agency) emphasised that the difference lies in personalised service and the ability to create memories, and Mireia Alum (Culinary Spain) highlighted gastronomy as a key factor in attracting travellers all year round and raising the profile of lesser-known destinations.
With this fifth edition, Coming Up! has established itself as a meeting place for identifying emerging trends, sharing knowledge and fostering collaboration between companies and organisations involved in high-end tourism.
The event was sponsored by the Catalan Tourism Agency (Catalunya Premium), Banco Sabadell y VP Plaza España Design, the venue for the conference.
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