Spain may have seen a fall in visitor figures for 2018 however the destination remains confident in its position as a favourite for UK holidaymakers, seeing both an increase of spend from visitors and a greater demand for speciality breaks that engage with the local culture and traditions of Spain.
The uncertainty surrounding Brexit, falling value of the pound and comeback of competing Mediterranean destinations have all contributed to this drop in tourism figures. However, keen to put these numbers in perspective Javier Pinanes, director of the Spanish Tourist Office, pointed out: ?We are going to close this year with good figures. In terms of tourism it?s true that we are going to lose probably half a million in tourism figures or more, but we must consider that in only one year, from 2015 to 2016, we had two million more tourists; we may lose half a million but really we are going to have more tourism than we had in 2016 which was a spectacular year in terms of tourism for everyone.?
Speaking to Travel Bulletin in an exclusive interview during November?s WTM Pinanes continued: ?However that's not the most significant thing for us this year. We have seen an increase in spend, particularly from the British market - from January to September we may have minus 2.9% in terms of tourism, but we have plus 2% in terms of spend and, most significantly, 5% more in terms of daily spend of the tourist.?
The tourism board has redoubled its efforts in recent years to more evenly distribute the geographical concentration of its visitors. A large proportion of incoming tourism to Spain centres around its coasts and islands and the Spanish Tourist Office has been working with agents and extending its knowledge of the rest of the country to British tourists, particularly northern and mainland Spain, other cities and inland regions. This is in tandem with an extension of the summer period and an offering beyond its sun and beach product - a strategy which is yielding positive results. Pinanes explained: ?We are developing a national focus on a special target of clients; those who are interested in culture, gastronomy, the art, the history and the traditions of Spain and those who wish to engage with the local culture. These people contribute to our objectives; they spend more money, they consume other products differently to 'sun and beach' and they go to other places and to cities taking speciality breaks ? they?re a very interesting type of client.
?We're seeing very good results with this sort of client; from 75% of clients focusing on sun and beach with 25% looking to our other products, in only one year we have moved to another proposal seeing a 70% / 30% split. These five points represent something very important for us; it?s more spend, different destinations and other motivations to travel.?
Speciality breaks will be a priority for the tourist office throughout 2019. Closely aligned with the type of clientele travel agents work with Pinanes concluded: ?Travel agents are very important partners for us. They work very closely with the tourists we wish to attract and we are trying to involve travel agents in all of our activities and marketing plans. We are going to continue working very actively with UK travel agencies: with traditional tours and FAMs inviting travel agents to Spain in order to get know the destinations; presentations of our destinations here in the UK; and online training programmes.?
