This summer will still not be like those before the pandemic, but the Generalitat hopes that normality will begin to be noticed in the tourism sector. After a year without the presence of international travelers, the Department of Business will focus on attracting more foreigners during this season, taking into account that it expects the vaccination pace to advance and mobility restrictions to be reduced.
With the campaign Catalunya, un lloc fet a mida (Catalonia, a tailor-made place), the Government wants to attract visitors especially from France, the United Kingdom, Benelux, and Germany. Travel to nearby destinations is expected to predominate, where one can arrive by car and do outdoor activities. Among the different types of destinations that will be proposed, Altafulla, Torredembarra, Espinelves, Canet de Mar, the Sau reservoir, or the Pyrenees stand out.
Although foreign tourists represent only half, their spending far exceeds that of nationals: they contribute 85% of the income. "We want to recover as much international tourism as possible," defends the Minister of Business, Ramon Tremosa. The Government expects to reach tourist spending of between 11,000 and 13,000 million euros by the end of the year, 50% of the 2019 spending, which stood at around 21,300 million euros, although it is aware that not all air connections have been recovered.
To do this, the Department has launched a plan to reactivate the tourism sector, which is endowed with more than 6.5 million euros and has about 30 actions. In addition to the campaign, which will take 3.5 million euros of the total budget, resources will be allocated to participate in fairs such as Fitur or B-Travel; hold in-person and virtual workshops, destination presentations and commercial meetings aimed at tour operators and travel agencies, or develop advertising actions.
Tourism, a driving sector
Tremosa argues that the crisis caused by covid-19 has highlighted tourism's driving role for the economy. "We have had a year of no tourism and we have seen the impact it has, not only on restaurants and hotels, but also on commerce or the real estate sector," he explains.
Formed by more than 78,000 companies, most of them SMEs, the tourism sector has been one of the most affected by the pandemic, but Tremosa stresses that it will be key for recovery. Beyond the campaigns promoted by the Govern, other aspects need to be specified, such as the implementation of a health passport among member states or the definition of a protocol for the resumption of cruises in Barcelona, which the minister assures will be ready soon.