Touristic news from Catalonia Feb 12, 2009
Assistant Director of representative office of the Council of tourism of Catalonia in CIS countries and countries of Eastern Europe Mrs Kristina Ionnitskaya told about new touristic products of 2009 during the ANTOR MICE workshop. She announced that the Council of tourism of Catalonia (“Turisme de Catalunya”) was reorganized. For example, there was created Tourism agency of Catalonia (Agencia Catalana de Turismo) and the collaboration between private and state agencies will now be implemented. The website Turisme de Catalunya is now finished. Kristina Ionnitskaya also said that the process of certification of resorts of Catalonia as resorts for “family tourism” will be continued.
There are already 9 family resorts in Catalonia: Salou, Cambrills, Calafell, Calella, Pineda del Mar, Santa Susanna, Malgrat de Mar, Blanes, Torroella de Montgri-Estartit. There will be 7 more resorts: Barcelona, Deltebre, Lloret de Mar, Palamos, Tossa de Mar, Sant Antoni de Calonge, Roses. The resort Santa Susanna received the certificate of “sport tourism” like resorts in Banoles, Castello de Ampurias, Lloret de Mar, Sort, Seu d Urgell, Val Daran. Amposta, Cambrills and Barcelona are in the process of getting the certificate. This year it was decided to promote the tourism for handicapped and develop tour offers taking into consideration the needs of handicapped.
Catalonia welcomes about 25 million tourists yearly. At the same time, the population of Catalonia (that includes four regions of Spain: provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona, Lerida) is only 7 million people. The capital of Catalonia – Barcelona, is on top of the list of cities where MICE organizes events. Barcelona has the second place in Spain after Madrid by the number of exhibition areas (more than 360 square meters). The city of Barcelona has more than 40,000 hotel placements, 25% of which are rated 5-star. Catalonia is the number one destination place for tourists among all regions of Spain. More than 60% of tourists from Russia who visit Spain, come to Catalonia.
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