SPANISH TOURIST OFFICE NEWS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2012

TOURISM STATISTICS

Spain welcomes increase in UK visitors From January until the end of September 2012, welcomed in excess of 11 million UK tourist arrivals, a 1.1% year on year increase which highlights that Spain is still considered to be one of the most important destinations for Brits.

The UK continues to be Spain’s most important tourism market, capturing almost a quarter of all international arrivals from January to September at 23.9%. In September alone, more than 1, 6 million tourists travelled to Spain from the UK, representing a 0.6% yearly increase. Mirroring the cumulative results, UK tourist arrivals in September 2012 represented just over a quarter of all arrivals at 26.3%, followed by (18.7%) and France (13.2%).

The international tourist expenditure in September 2012 also registered an increase of 13.4% year on year accounting for over six million euros, in line with the tourist board objectives. UK visitors were the chief contributors to this tourist spend at 23.2% followed by Germany at 19% and France at 8%. The UK alone spent 1.4 million Euros in September 2012, which mainly benefited the Balearic Islands and Cataluña.

HOTEL UPDATE

New Meliá in Mallorca New Meliá property ‘El Beach House’ opened this summer replacing the former Mallorca Beach in the popular tourist spot of Magaluf. The new hotel marks the first phase of the ambitious Calviá Beach Resort project, a luxury complex which is aimed at generating the gradual renovation and repositioning of Magaluf. http://www.melia.com/hotels/spain/majorca/beach-house/index.html

Pacha to open new hotel in The Pacha group has announced the development of a new hotel complex in Ibiza. The new complex called ‘Destino’ will be located in Cap Martinet in the south of the island, close to Talamanca beach and Ibiza Town. The hotel will boast a surface area of 50.000m² and aims to convey the ‘Pacha lifestyle’ with 170 bedrooms, a huge swimming pool surrounded by palm trees and hammocks, a Jacuzzi and live entertainment for guests. http://www.pacha.com/content/about-us

Axel to open new Gran Canaria property Gay focused hotel chain Axel Hotels has announced the opening of a new Maspalomas Beach propery in Gran Canaria, scheduled to open in May 2013. The new ‘Beach Maspalomas - Apartments & Lounge Club’ will be located within easy walking distance to the beach and will boast a vast outdoor pool, gym, sauna and a range of massage services. The apartments will have a large living-area, American style kitchen, fully-furnished bedroom, sofa bed, plasma TV and outdoor terrace. The property that has been developed with the gay market in mind, will also offer a range of entertainment, free Wi-Fi in all common areas and a bike renting service. http://www.axelhotels.com/portal/sub/13/96/en/new-hotel-axel-gran-canaria

Palladium Hotel Group (formally Fiesta Hotel Group) to open two new hotels for 2012 Urban brand Ayre Hoteles is soon to open a new boutique property in , located in the heart of Madrid’s city centre on Calle Barquillo. The new townhouse hotel will feature 70 bedrooms and will be located in a majestic 19th century Spanish palace, previously owned by the Marchioness Viuda de Aldama. The property that is scheduled to open in the first trimester of 2013 will feature a lounge bar, a breakfast area in one of the courtyards and a meeting room. http://www.ayrehoteles.com/es/home/

Summer 2013 will also see the expansion of the popular Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel with The Ushuaïa Tower; a spectacular eight floor property, that will replace the existing Fiesta Playa d’en Bossa hotel, scheduled to open in June 2013. The development forms part of a project to extend the existing Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel, which will be re-branded to ‘The Ushuaia Club’ encompassing two hotels. http://www.ushuaiaibiza.com/en/

Villa Padierna in Marbella gets its sixth star Villa Padierna has been awarded a sixth star by international association ‘Seven Stars & Stripes’, an accolade that is awarded for first-rate customer service and culinary excellence. http://www.hotelvillapadierna.com/Blog/en/

Hesperia Lanzarote launches children’s rooms Hesperia Lanzarote has opened a number of rooms especially designed for children, complete with games, themed bunk beds, cuddly toys, consoles, special menus, colourful bathrobes, bathroom products for children and club cards for the ClubHesperio. The rooms also come complete with their own children’s mini-bar filled with juices, smoothies, biscuits and cereal bars, TVs with a range of cartoon channels and DVD players. http://www.hesperia.com/hesperia/en/hotels/spain/lanzarote/hesperia-lanzarote.html

Room Mate opens its second hotel Room Mate Hotels has opened its second Barcelona property, located on Calle Fontanella, moments from Plaza Catalunya. The new 66-bedroom property called Room Mate Pau opened in July and offers a city centre location, twinned with all the necessary facilities to enjoy a relaxing and comfortable stay. http://pau.room-matehotels.com/index.php/en

Princesa Munia Hotel & Spa opens in Oviedo Fruela Hotels has opened the Princesa Munia Hotel & Spa, a €3 million project located in a 19th century building in the Spanish city of Oviedo. The four star superior hotel offers 23 bedrooms, designed by Gijón based design company Mamen de la Concha, offering a unique design concept based around the Asturian monarchy, paying homage to the city’s great history. http://www.hotelprincesamunia.com/

Hotel Posada Real Fuerte de la Concepción opens in Salamanca A new four star property has opened in the Salamanca province in one of the three buildings that comprises the former 17th Century fort known as ‘Fuerte de la Concepcion’, located on the outskirts of Aldea del Obispo. The castle was originally constructed in 1664 to protect the Spanish border from Portugal and was reconstructed in 1735. The four star property opened in September with 18 junior suites (each 54m²) and when completed, will offer a total of 58 bedrooms, together with spectacular garden and courtyard rooms. http://www.fuertedelaconcepcion.com/

Radisson Blu opens second Spanish hotel Radisson Blu has opened its second Spanish property with the new Radisson Blu Resort Gran Canaria which boasts 189 bedrooms and suites as well as a six meeting rooms and a conference room; ideal for those looking to plan their meetings and events in the sun drenched . http://www.radissonblu.com/resort-grancanaria

New Madrid Hotel opens on Calle Valencia Madrid welcomes a new boutique, family run hotel with the opening of Hotel Artrip, located in a former residential building in Madrid’s Lavapiés district. The hotel, which opened in summer 2012, also serves as a gallery displaying current works from Carlos Cau and has seventeen bedrooms, including five suites, distributed across six floors. http://www.artriphotel.com/en/

Renaissance Hotels opens new gem in the heart of Barcelona Marriot International has opened the new Renaissance Barcelona Hotel, located just moments away from Paseo de Gracia, Bracelona’s premier shopping and architectural district. The hotel, formerly known as ‘The Diplomatic Hotel’ reopened in May this year after a full renovation. The hotel is centrally located near many popular tourist attractions including the famed Hotel Gaudi, where guests can admire the fascinating architecture of Palau Guell. http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/bcndm-renaissance-barcelona-hotel/

The Méridien Barcelona undergoes transformation The suites and the spa on the sixth and seventh floors of the Méridien Barcelona have undergone a complete reformation, offering a new contemporary style. The spacious suites (70m²) offer fabulous views whilst the Mediterranean suites come complete with 50m² outdoor terraces. The new spa, located on the sixth floor has two treatment rooms, a manicure and pedicure area, hairdressers, sauna, steam room, solarium and many outdoor water areas. http://www.lemeridienbarcelona.es/

TRANSPORT LINKS

British Airways responds to high demand and expands its winter routes to Spain British Airways has announced plans to increase the frequency of its winter flights to Spain and launch new routes, in response to a high demand for winter flights to Spanish regions. On 23 February 2013, British Airways will launch a new route between London Gatwick and Barcelona with three flights a day. The airline will also increase its flights between Gatwick and Malaga by 30% by offering ten flights per week. A new flight connection has also been launched from London Heathrow to Alicante, with three flights scheduled per week. London Gatwick will also see a new route to Alicante with 17 flights per week starting from 31 March 2013, increasing to 21 flights per week for July, August and September. British Airways will also extend its seasonal flights to the Balearic Islands, which usually run until the end of October, with flights between London City and Palma and Ibiza throughout the winter. www.britishairways.com

Jet2 increases flights between Scotland and Spain with new routes Low cost airline, Jet2.com is responding to the high demand for flights from Scotland to Spain by launching new routes between Glasgow and three Spanish destinations; Gran Canaria, Menorca and Murcia. The Gran Canaria and Menorca routes will launch on 25 May 2013, both with one flight a week and the inaugural Murcia route will take off on 24 May 2013 with two flights a week. Jet2 will also increase the frequency of its summer flights from the Scottish airport to Spain on five routes throughout 2013. The route between Glasgow and Palma will increase from six to eight flights a week, raising the number of available seats by 20%. Flights between Glasgow and Alicante will increase to four flights a week, boosting capacity by 24% and flights between Glasgow and Ibiza will increase by 100% to four flights a week. Flights to Lanzarote and Tenerife will also increase. www.jet2.com

Vueling targets business travellers with new Gatwick- Barcelona route Spanish low cost carrier, Vueling, will launch a twice daily Gatwick-Barcelona route in March 2013, aiming its morning and evening flights at business travellers. The airline has also announced a new ‘Excellence’ class which has differentiated cabin seats with ergonomic head rests, access to VIP lounges, priority boarding, snacks and refreshments on board and extra loyalty points. www.vueling.com

Luxury train, Al Andalus, back on its tracks this year Luxury train, Al Andalus, which travels through Andalucia’s most iconic locations, returned to its tracks this year, following a huge refurbishment by Spanish railway company FEVE. The train that is considered a luxury hotel on wheels and has undergone a series of technical and design developments to reflect the décor of the 1920‘s, when five of the trains coaches were made. The train has 32 air-conditioned suites, 12 of which are standard class and 20 are superior with a capacity for 64 people. The train also has two restaurant coaches, a bar, tea room, and a 24 hour library and all coaches have large windows to offer the best views. http://www.trenalandalus.com

GASTRONOMY

Innovative culinary lab opens to the public in Madrid Spanish chef, Paco Roncero, has opened a pioneering gastronomic workshop in Madrid’s casino where guests can attend cooking sessions and intimate experimental lunches and dinners. The food lab is designed to give guests the chance to experiment with new dishes using the most advanced technology.

Roncero is an olive oil expert and one wall of his lab, the ‘oleotec’ is completely covered in tubes of olive oil. A touch screen in the centre of the wall provides information about each oil and the wall has an advanced cooling system which keeps all oils at the same temperature. There is also special lighting behind each bottle, showing guests the different colours of all the oils. http://www.casinodemadrid.es/en/gastronomia/index.htm

The Barceló Illetas Albatros in Mallorca offers new vegan menu In response to customer demand, Barceló propery Illetas Albatros has developed a new vegan menu, a move that will be welcomed by many guests seeking healthy and vegetarian options whilst holidaying in Palma. http://www.barcelo.co.uk/BarceloHotels/en_GB/hotels/Spain/Mallorca/hotel-barcelo-illetas- albatros/general-description.aspx

New Institute of Wine opens in San Sebastian The Basque Culinary Centre and Domecq Bodegas, the largest producer of quality Spanish wines, have joined forces to create the Institute of Wine at the Basque Culinary Centre (BCC) in San Sebastian. The new partnership, which will last for a year will encourage students at BCC to discover the growing importance of wine in gastronomy. BCC and Domecq are also developing a "Wine Institute," which offers training programs on the culture of wine, which are open to wine professionals and enthusiasts. http://www.bculinary.com

Celebrated Spanish chef, Dani Garcia, creates a new Spanish- American cuisine Michelin star chef, Dani Garcia, has developed a culinary first by opening restaurants in Malaga and New York and merging the cuisines of both cities. Manzanilla, in Malaga opened last June and the New York restaurant is set to open later this year. Dishes range from cherry gazpacho to dogfish stew. www.danigarciacatering.com/web-under-construction/dani-garcia-2-michelin-stars/manzanilla-new- york-restaurant

Elena Arzak named Veuve Cliquot World’s Best Female Chef Spanish chef, Elena Arzak has been announced as the winner of Veuve Cliquot’s prestigious World’s Best Female Chef Award. Elena is the fourth generation of her family at Arzak restaurant, founded in 1897 by her great grandparents just outside San Sebastian. Having spent time learning from the very best chefs including Ducasse, Troisgros and Adria, she returned to Arzak and joined the restaurant’s food laboratory which strives to find a balance between modernism and tradition. Working alongside her father, the duo continue to push the boundaries of cuisine. http://www.arzak.info/arz_web.php?idioma=En

Bilbao’s Silken Gran Domine Hotel enjoy’s new minimalist restaurant Seven Michelin star chef Martin Berasategui has recently opened a restaurant in the five star Silken Gran Domine Hotel in Bilbao. Located on the seventh floor of the hotel, the restaurant offers stunning views over Bilbao and the Guggenheim Museum and boasts a minimalist design. Berasategui, who is the only Spanish chef with seven Michelin stars has designed a menu offering modern Spanish cuisine, with dishes ranging from black ravioli with fruit de mer to roasted pigeon. http://www.hoteles-silken.com/gran-hotel-domine-bilbao/en/

Ferran Adria announce BulliPedia details and reveals plans to open a restaurant in London Spain’s most well-known chef Ferran Adria, has announced details of his BulliPedia, which he and his Telefónica collaborators are citing as the ‘word’s first culinary Wiki’, containing a plethora of gastronomic knowledge.

According to Adria, the BulliPedia is a long term project that will take years to build. Although the domain is already live, Adria’s goal is to get the site up and running by the end of 2014. Referred to as one of the crucial underpinnings of elBulli Foundation, the BulliPedia will serve as a culinary think tank and culinary R&D facility.

Brothers and culinary business partners, Ferran and Albert Adria, who currently run 41 ° in Barcelona, have announced plans to open a restaurant in London. The London restaurant will mirror the experience of 41° which offers finger food and cocktails with dishes ranging from spicy corn tentacles to crispy seaweed with quinoa. The exact location of the London branch is undecided

Ferran Adria is considered to be one of the world’s best chefs having run the three Michelin star restaurant, El Bulli on the Costa Brava. The restaurant was awarded first place five times in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awarded by Restaurant Magazine. http://bullipedia.net/

OTHER NEWS

Matarromera Group launches exclusive helicopter excursion to Ribera del Duero Grupo Matarromera has created a private helicopter excursion to Ribera del Duero, the largest wine growing region in Castilla y Léon, covering some 9229 hectares. The new experience encompasses a helicopter journey, twinned with private wine-tastings and dinner, accompanied by the best local wines of the region. http://www.grupomatarromera.com/en/about-us/news/332-matarromera-muestra-la-ribera-del-duero- desde-el-cielo.html

Architect Norman Foster designs Portia Winery A new wine manufacturing facility, Portia Wineries, has opened in Burgos in the heart of Ribera del Duero, designed by British architect Norman Foster. The 2.500m2 facility is shaped like a three-leaf clover, representing three main stages of wine production; the fermentation, the maturing process in the wooden barrel and the ageing process in the bottle. The design integrates seamlessly with the natural landscape and has a structure that has been described by Foster as ‘strong, masculine and muscular’. www.bodegasportia.com/index_portia.asp?idioma=en

Madrid’s NH Eurobuilding sets benchmark for sustainability Madrid property NH Eurobuilding has been awarded the ISO 14001 certificate for their energy saving initiatives. The hotel recently introduced pioneering re-charge zones for electric vehicles, and has set out a new initiative to install 100% LED lamps throughout the hotel, together with a range of insulating materials to minimize the environmental impact. The hotel also offers a ‘sustainable’ package for meetings and events with their ‘Ecomeeting’ service, using a range of sustainable materials and initiatives for M&E sector. http://www.nh-hoteles.es/nh/es/hoteles/espana/madrid/nh-eurobuilding.html

El Hierro becomes the word’s first ‘free Wi-Fi island’ The Canary island of El Hierro is to become the world’s first free Wi-Fi island, an initiative announced by the Spanish Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism, Jose Manuel Soria. The initiative has been developed to regenerate the El Hierro economy and encourage growth and tourism to the island. http://www.elhierro.travel

Repsol Guide develops five ideal motorbike routes to enjoy in Spain The Repsol Guide has developed five idyllic Spanish motorbike routes ranging from the Cister route through the provinces of Tarragona and Lleida in Catalonia to the Cabo de Gata route through the Alpujarra in Andalucía travelling across the Sierra Nevada foothills to the Moorish city of Granada. Each route offers information on the distances, directions, historic landmarks and visitor attractions on the way, as well as a downloadable PDF with maps and detailed information. http://www.guiarepsol.com/es_en/turismo/rutas_en_moto/default.aspx

-Ends-

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