ABTA has just held a hugely successful annual convention in Magalluf with not only captains of the tourist industry in attendance but also the Spanish government. Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez, opened the convention and in doing so not only stressed and highlighted the importance of UK tourism to Spain, as the number one market, but also the strong relationship between the two countries.
She also revealed that Spain, through its tourist board Turepaña in collaboration with ABTA and its members, is about to embark on a new 2030 responsible tourism plan involving both the Spanish and the British working together for the greater good of the future of tourism and its benefit for local communities, economies and the environment.
Sánchez talked tourism policy at both local and national level but was anyone in attendance from the British government in Spain to not only listen to the new policy announcement but also thank her for her very kind and supportive words about the UK and British tourists? No.
Until recently, members of the Foreign Office in Spain were always popping over to Mallorca, especially Calvia, to help matters of security and promote safety campaigns etc. I thought part of the FCO’s job was to boost the UK in Spain.