Spain has asked the UK travel industry to rebuild tourism in the UK and pledge significant amounts to ensure a sustainable recovery that makes it more attractive than before Covid.
Miguel Sanz, director general of the Spanish Tourist Office, spoke at the conclusion of World Travel Market's first day. He described a four-year strategy to revive tourism in the destination.
He stated that while we desire a rapid recovery in tourism, the first phase will require the support of our British partners.
Britain is the most important country in our world. We all need one another. We look forward to working closely with you.
He said that as part of the recovery, he had signed various marketing agreements with companies in the sector in the past few months to increase connectivity between our islands and mainland Spain.
Sanz stated that Spain was going to invest 3.4 billion in the sector recovery phase 2 to make it a more sustainable destination.
He stated that we don't want to return to 2019, but to a better place. We are creating a better place, and investing billions of euro to make it more sustainable.
He stated that investment will not be limited to environmental sustainability but also in socio-economic sustainability with the goal of maintaining tourism as a force for good and making money for the sector.
We are committing to socio-sustainability, a strategy that looks after the environment but also the communities and the economy. He said that you can count on us.
Jos Pascual Marco Martinez, Spanish ambassador to Britain, stated that the country was going to spend 75 billion on green and digital revolutions which would be used to boost the tourism sector.
We will create a sector that is more sustainably. He stated that we want to be at the forefront of sustainability.
Jos Mara Fernndez de Turiso Lpez de Turiso was the deputy head of mission at Spain's Embassy in London. She stressed that Spain is also committed to working alongside the UK government in order to revive tourism and remove all obstacles to the sector recovery.
He stated that the evil combination of Brexit, Covid and a lack of mobility between the countries has ruined it. However, this is something he wants to recover. We are open to working with the British government.
Although there was some progress, the number of Britons still visiting Spain was far below the 20 million who arrived each year before the pandemic.
He said that there is a steady recovery and added: Spain is safe in terms both of Covid safety and personal safety.
Sanz stated that 98% of the country's population has been vaccinated since the year 12 and this is helping to ensure low rates of infection.
