Why in Spain? by Synergias de Prensa, S.L.

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MICE in SPAIN C O N V E N T I O N A N D T R A D E S H O W S PA I N ® #1 FOURTH QUARTER ‘07

IN COVER

WHY IN

SPAIN

An analysis of the offers and specific infrastructures to receive business tourism

DESTINATIONS INCENTIVES

CITIES

INCOMING

HOTELS

VALENCIA after the America’s Cup

MADRID, attractions and professionalism shape the MICE’s offer

Companies and Institutions that offer this service of receiving congresses

HESPERIA TOWER, where functionality serves business

DIVING in El Hierro island

Cover photo: Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de La Línea de la Concepción (Cádiz)

003-EDITORIAL:Maquetación 1

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EDITOR’S LETTER

WHY IN SPAIN? Dear reader, advertiser and professional of the meeting tourist sector, here we are with the first edition of this new publication. It is a Spanish publication about the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and events) supply in Spain. It is addressed to those like yourself who develop an activity within the field of the organisation and celebration of events in any part of the world. Spain is one of the favourite, traditional and consolidated destinations as the statistics of the main associations show. It is a manifold destination with a great variety of offers. Some are very well known with a broad experience in the field. Others are brand new. There is also the very innovating and those which keep a classical style. All the volume of destinations and infrastructures for meetings, and also the companies that work on different activities generating an added value in the MICE sector, constitute the publicity support of this new magazine. Without them and their reliance they have already shown on the magazine PROFESSIONAL EVENTS, which we launched to the market three years ago and which has consolidated in this short period as a Spanish reference within the sector, we would not be where we stand now. The publicity which wholly combines with the articles written by our editors and collaborators as well as the photos of our professionals, are a service which is very valuable for those who like you have this magazine in their hands, giving you the best and most significant information about the Spanish supply in the sector: this is MICE IN SPAIN. JUAN ROBLES

Honorific Editor: Juan Robles • Assessor of Edition: Pau Morata • Director: José Alarcón • Adversiting: Antonio Melchor, José A. Fernández Martorell, Tere Serra • Art Director: Sofía Alonso • General Coordination: Vanessa Jordá • Administration: Manuela Fuster • Editorial Council: José Alarcón, Sofía Alonso, Francisco de A. Carrió, Pere Camprobí, Estrella Díaz, Alberto Díez, Juan M. Hernández Puértolas, Fernando Martorell, Joan Molas, Pau Morata, Fermín Pérez, Ramzi Shuaibi, Santiago Soteras, André Vietor, Antonio Wangüemert. • Writers: Marta Martín, Pau Morata, Victor Puig Vilarrubís, Francisco Rivero. • Edition: Synergias de Prensa, S.L. C/ F. Pérez i Cabrero, 11-B, entlo. 8ª. E-08021 Barcelona. Tel.: +34 93 241 73 12. revista@miceinspain.es Editorial Production: Publications & Meetings Industry, S.L. MICEinSPAIN® #1. Barcelona. Spain. 2007 • Depósito Legal: B-47.057-2007

SUMMARY News Cover

Why in Spain?

Convention centers La Línea Palace A privilege place for conventions

Destinations Valencia, more than the America’s Cup

Incentives Scuba diving in the island of El Hierro Granada: culture and adventure

Cities Madrid, where almost everything is possible

Hotels Hesperia tower hotel Meetings, stays and high quality restaurants

Specials venues Torre Aldealseñor, kinglike meetings Castillo del Buen Amor, very, very original

60 64

Events in Spain International exhibition 2008 Zaragoza Water World Capital

Util guide Convention Bureau, Convention Centers and hotels

News

he 301 meetings received in Sitges in 2006 (of more than 50 participants) make an increase in respect to the previous year of a 4,15 %. In reference to the number of meeting participants the increase is of 12% (in 2005 was of 38.695 delegates). If we add the 8.676 participants in the 426 small meetings (between 10 an 49 participants), then the total amounts to 52.054 people that attended a meeting in Sitges. Overnight stays generated by meetings of more than 50 participants amounted to 68.697 and the ones generated by participants to meetings of less than 50 participants were 16.150. The figures represent a total of 84.874 overnight stays in hotels due to meetings in Sitges in 2006 which is a 26,14% out of 4 and 5 star hotels and 16% out of all category hotel establishments. Located at 30 km South of Barcelona and 20 minutes from the international airport of Prat, the old seamen village is the second Catalonian city after Barcelona, with congress and meeting celebration. It has an infrastructure of hotels and services with many years of experience and also offers a wide range of possibilities to organise complementary programmes.

MEETING INDUSTRY GROWS IN SITGES

MÁLAGA CHOICE FOR HEADQUARTERS

OF THE MPI PEC-E 2010

FUENTE PIZARRO CELEBRATES EFFECTIVE RESULTS WITH PARTY

he event space Fuente Pizarro commemorated its effective activity with a party with more than 700 guests; amongst them were clients and collaborators. They had the opportunity of enjoying live music, entertainment and having first hand information on diverse leisure activities apart from tasting the delicious own catering presented at the event. Fuente Pizarro clausuró el año 2006 con más de 30.000 visitas, 200 eventos, la confianza de más de 100 profesionales del área de RRHH y comunicación, más de 3.000m2 de ampliación de las instalaciones. Para este año está prevista la inauguración del Hotel Fuente Pizarro además de nuevas salas y espacios de trabajo. Fuente Pizarro closed 2006 with more than 30.000 visits, 200 events, and the trust of more than 100 professionals on human resources and communication, more than 3.000 m2 of extended facilities. This year, the opening of the Hotel Fuente Pizarro and new halls and working spaces are planned.

IFEMA HOLDS THE FIRST EVENT EDITION

he appearance of new fairs, courses and conferences on the event sector is becoming something usual nowadays. The last who have ventured in this field are responsible for the company Event Consulting, and have just announced the first edition of the new Event fair, the place chosen to celebrate it is the IFEMA fairground from the 18th to the 20th of next June. With the slogan Event of Events, it tries to seek a meeting point for all activities that have something to do with experienced marketing. Event Consulting is the company that organised fairs like Preventia, Weddings & Weddings or the Barcelona hobby fair. The organisation committee is presided by Ildefonso García de la Serena, also president of Socio GRM. Other professionals of different companies connected to the sector are part of the committee like joaquín Saqués, managing director of Global Events, José Maréa Pérez de Olacoechea, president of IFES and Guy Bigwook, managing director of MCI, amongst others.

STAFF EVENTS AGENCY ORGANISES THE LAUNCHING OF CX 700 CASE CONSTRUCTION BULLDOZERS

ith the slogan Passion in movement the company case construction belonging to the multinational CNH of the group FIAT, launched their new bulldozers CX. The event was organised by the Staff Events Agency, last 8th and 9th of July at three emblematic settings in Valencia: The City of Sciences and Arts, L’Oceanografic and the quarry Andujar and Navarro Brothers. During two days, 900 people between dealers, clients and specialised press from Spain, Italy and Portugal travelled to this city. On the first day, the attendees enjoyed an organised tour which included a visit to the marina of the America’s Cup and the Chinese team operating base. After that they were taken to L’Oceanografic where after seeing the aquarium, the presentation of the product took place at the unequalled Red Sea Auditorium with the participation of the Spanish board and the European Case vice-president who had specially been invited to the event. At the end of the presentation, the guests went to the City of Science and Arts where the machines where exhibited at the Paseo Sur, and had a cocktail party entertained by a live jazz band. Supper was served at L’Hemisferic with a show with 29 artists and the reveal of the product. Fireworks located in the Lago Norte gave a perfect finale to the event. The following day the participants were taken from the hotels to the Paterna quarry which had been prepared as a real Case city to see how the machines worked. Before leaving, the participants took part in a raffle obtaining some corporative gifts.

VALENCIA FAIR EVENT CENTRE EFECTIVE ACTIVITY

EXTREMADURA

BRAND ORGANISES CONFERENCE ON MARKETING

n the other hand, Valencia Fair was for two days the world centre of innovation with the celebration of the congress Europa Innova, with international expert lecturers as David White, director of innovation policy of the European Commission or Amedeo Felisa General Manager of Ferrari. The most relevant companies in the sector had 3.400m2 of fairground for the presentation of the latest innovations in the sector to 700 visitors. In addition, the firm BMW chose the Valencia Fair Event Centre to present their single-seater Formula 1 BMW Sauber in front of more than 300 sport journalists.

MURCIA RECEIVES 621 MEETINGS IN 2006

xperts in marketing and communication analysed the latest theories in construction and evolution of brands as well as the capacity of the so called “territorial brands” to revalue the image of a region or country. This took place the 16th, 17th and 18th of July in the Library Science and Documentation of the University of Badajoz. The conference was organised by Marca Extremadura in collaboration with the university of Extremadura within a programme which was designed to ascribe this autonomous community a national context. One of the debate issues was the decentralisation of the press and the national media in general, who are centred in events happening in Madrid and generating information voids for the rest of the communities. The presence of the main financial and consulting entities specialised in brands was important. They clarified the assistants about the construction and measurement process with many examples out of their working experience with international firms. The end of the conference was a parallel programme of activities for the assistants to know the context in which the conferences were given. Amongst other activities the show at the roman theatre of Mérida within the edition of the Classic theatre festival stood out, showing the play Fedra.

uring the year 2006 a total of 621 meetings took place with 98.580 participants with direct economic impact of 37.247.648 euros. The average expense per participant per day was of 280 euros for those who stayed in four star hotels and 250 euros for those staying in 3 star hotels and 220 euros for the 2 star hotels. The expense includes the enrolment fee, room and board, and other extra expenses like transport and shopping. Concerning the sectors generating meetings, most of them were suggested by the local initiative in 86% of the cases. Private companies participated with 68% number of meetings, as opposed to the public companies with 32%.

News

PALEXCO HEADQUARTERS

OF THE YEARLY CONGRESS OF THE AIPC

INTERNATIONAL SPECIALISED TRAVEL AGENTS FIND OUT ABOUT INCENTIVE SUPPLY IN GRANADA THROUGH AN EXCITING ADVENTURE

alexco Congress Centre in Coruña has been chosen as the headquarters for the 51st congress of the international Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) in 2009 which will gather representatives of more than fifty countries and cities as London, New York, Paris, Melbourne or Moscow. It is a yearly event that gathers the main actors and world experts on congress centres. The conferences will go over the main challenges and opportunities that congress tourism has today. This congress means the arrival of four hundred visitors amongst participants and companions in the high summer season which can bring important income to the city. Also this congress centre in Coruña was awarded for being one of the three best congress centres in the world together with Québec and the Australian city of Brisbane. In the last few months the Congress Centre in Coruña, is beginning to receive events of international character like the Transplant Medical Conference or the Occupational Risk Prevention Conference which in 2008 will gather experts on the field from all over the world. From the beginning of its activity Palexco has received more than 400 national and international events.

total of 45 travel agents from Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, U.S.A., France, Russia, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Belgium and Canada participated between the 22nd and the 25th of November, in the eighth International Conference of Active Tourist and Incentive Travelling organised by Granada Provincial Tourist Board. What is special about this promotion is that the agents participate in all the adventure and active tourist activities which they will afterwards suggest their clients, the big multisectorial companies (IBM; Porsche, Ericsson…). In order to do this, the Provincial Council of Granada prepares a complete programme round some of the tourist regions of the province. These areas are visited on light aircraft, four wheel drive vehicles, bicycle, and boat, on horse back and even in a kayak. They also do canyoning and enjoy the a look at the bottom of the sea during an initiation to scuba diving. The Vice-president of the provincial board, José López Gallardo, explains that this adventure event is a continuation of the initiative that happened in 2001 with great success to make the incentive supply of the province known to MICE international professionals. Granada, has always kept, through the years, the world image of Spanish cultural emblem for its very well known “Alhambra”. Now incentive travelling represents a high volume in the peak demand in Andalucia province.

arcelona is going to be the headquarters of a new association directed to the congress and incentive sector. Under the name of B+ Destination Management Partnership a group of companies like Cititravel, First Choice M&I, Iberitalia or ITB dmc have united to agglutinate the common interest of the members and together confront the challenges that affect them. The association is born with specific weight as the common invoice information of all the participants amounts to 150 million euros yearly and in the last twelve months they provide the logistics for 90.000 people. The presentation of the association took place in AB Skipper in Barcelona on the 5th of September and 200 people participated. Here, the president of the Association, Josep Aixut, explained the institution challenges which need an Ethical Code for all their members.

B+ DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PARTNER ENTERS THE SCENE

SEVILLE CB IS AWARDED WITH A DISTINGUISHING MARK GRANTED BY SCTE

eville Tourist Group Convention Bureau was awarded with a distinguishing quality mark “Commitment to Tourist Quality” granted by SCTE (Spanish Tourist Quality System). The acknowledgement of this award goes for the qualitative level of tourist infrastructure and is financed by the General Tourist Secretariat and promoted by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces. Its limits cover all the localities of the Ruta de la Plata. There are five subsections for the award: hotels, tourist apartments, restaurants, bars-cafeterias, convention bureaus and other services. In Seville 28 companies have been considered to receive the distinguishing mark “commitment to tourist quality”. They are all in the area of Barrio de Cruz, which is an emblematic tourist area where the SCTE Destino was first introduced

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Cover

WHY IN

SPAIN? Report by EDITORIAL STAFF OF MICE IN SPAIN photos from own files

In the last decade, Spain has positioned itself amongst the most important destinations of the Meeting Industry, internationally speaking. Only in 2006 Spain held 17.000 meetings, 5.000 conventions and 3.000 congresses in which five million people participated which amounted a direct economic impact of more than three million euros Additionally, in a short time the congress and incentive supply in Spain has expanded and incorporated new destinations. The Spanish Meeting Industry now goes beyond Madrid and Barcelona, and the majority of cities have a convention bureau. The consolidated tourist industry- not in vain is the second destination in the world, in terms of hotels and restaurants, has also decisively helped to this position as one of the favourite destinations of business travellers.

Cover

n respect with the rate of participation in the mentioned meetings, it is a hundred delegates per meeting; nevertheless, the rate increases to 140 participants in conventions and congresses, the average was 320 participants per congress. Although the meeting activity does not have a seasonal aspect, as they are celebrated all year through, there are four months where 50% of the activity accumulates. These are the months of May, June, October and November. Also the meeting’s duration was an average of two days. The bulk was celebrated in hotel halls and congress centres. The tourism that the meetings generate is an aspect which is more and more taking into account the cities which receive these events. As an example, in 2006 the most demanded complementary activities by participants and companions were the gastronomic ones followed by tourist and cultural generating and average expense of 294 euros per person per day.

Capitals of the Meeting Industry Concerning the main Spanish cities in demand by this industry are Madrid and Barcelona heading the majority of meetings, conventions and congresses called in this country, a phenomena which is responding to its own inertia. Now both cities are extending their fairgrounds. Fira de Barcelona will be the second biggest fairground in Europe when the work finishes in 2009. Feria de Madrid has just opened its extended area with two new pavilions which means 50.000 square metres more. Both contain numerous spaces and auditoriums of different sizes and a dense hotel chain for the Meeting Industry. The last ranking presented by the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA), which reference was 2006, Barcelona appeared as the forth city in the world with more events celebrated. To this has contributed the increase in quality and quantity of hotels, the extension of the Fira and the opening of new spaces. This city is now the headquarters for important international events as the 3GSM or the Bread & Butter and EIBTM which take place in Monjuïc. On the other hand, Madrid continues to grow at the same pace as the company’s headquarters; both Spanish and international chose to celebrate their meetings in this city. The Olympic Games project is also contributing to the city’s supply of more and better hotels. Moreover, its tourist infrastructures and more specifically those for meetings have gone through an important growth lately. The celebration of fairs like Simo or Fitur attracts thousands of exhibitors and visitors each year, and the airport of Barajas is the busiest in the country.

Self-confident cities One of the most spectacular evolutions concerning meeting tourism is that of Valencia in the last two of three years. In this period the capital city of Valencia has culminated adjusting with the opening of the City of Science and Arts and the new Fair spaces, the celebration of the America’s Cup and the award of the Formula 1 European for 2008. All these is due to the extension of the hotel supply, the improvement of the airport and the seafront and the institution’s will to attract all types of professional and sport events. Today, Valencia is the Spanish city with the best growing prospect for the next years. Malaga is another city which has made its bet on the Meeting Industry. The new fairground was opened not long ago and there is no doubt about the contribution to the appeal that all the region of Costa del Sol has. The same as in Valencia the connections by plane and the distance with Madrid and Barcelona is not too big. It also has a high quality hotel network and the services sector is more than used to demanding visitors. As far as it goes, Málaga has been chosen By the MPI to receive the 2009 edition of the European Meeting and Event Conference. To these two cities Bilbao, Coruña and the Canary Islands, Seville and Granada have to be added as they constitute a consolidated supply for meeting tourism. The last city that joined this club was Zaragoza, which thanks to the award as the International Exhibition 2008 headquarters, Expo Water, it is being provided with a solid infrastructure and hotel network capable of receiving the participants of great events.

The growing demand has been determinant for the Spanish supply and has changed from being agglutinated in a few cities to expanding to the whole country.

Cover

Spain has a powerful tourist infrastructure forged in the last twenty years as a world prestigious destination. To this convincing supply, a more specific one has been added in the last years for the Meeting Industry.

The edge cities ascent The Spanish regions which up to now were in the edge for meeting tourism have pulled their socks up and there is not one locality lacking a congress centre or a convention bureau. Nowadays it is possible to find an adequate place to celebrate events in almost all the cities which have also improved their hotel and restaurant array to adapt to the quality standards required by meeting tourism. Cáceres, Badajoz, Tarragona, Logroño, Almeria, Alicante, Oviedo, Gijón, Vitoria, San Sebastián, Santiago de Compostela. Salamanca or Murcia are other examples of the amazing ascent of edge cities guaranteed by a convincing cultural heritage. In a multitude of cities new congress centres are being built. As an example, there is the congress centre Princesa Letizia in Oviedo designed by Santiago Calatrava that will be opened in 2008 and will have 40.000 square meters in three storeys. A year after that, in 2009 in León the congress centre by Dominique Perrault. Awarded with the architecture prize Mies Van de Rohe, which will be 8.000 square meters. And in the last months, cities like Albacete, Girona, Merida or la Línea de la Concepción in Cádiz have opened new congress centres and fairground apt to celebrate meetings.

Incentives Paradise In addition, Spain is a country whose priviledge orography and the mild weather have originated a number or attractions and settings which mean unique proposals to any type of incentive travelling. Ideal beaches, places where time seems not to pass away, monuments and cities which are World Heritage, they are a true encounter with His-

tory, an exquisite gastronomy distinguished all over the world, as well as an important establishment network where to enjoy the luxurious health tourism, or the natural surroundings protected by law, have been made into wildlife parks which are part of ambitious ecological reserve plans. Without question, all of this ample and varied range of geography together with the people’s hospitable and extroverted character make the Iberian country a unique destination in the world and there are a lot of reasons and sure advantages why to have Spain in mind when choosing a destination in the Meeting Industry. Besides, Spain is a traditional destination for incentive travelling and special events of many European companies, especially German. For instance Mallorca is where incentive travelling is usually organised even for 3.000 people. German motor companies are planning on holding great events and incentives here. It is true that the European companies are more and more investing in customer loyalty programmes. However the type of product demanded has to fit and have a surprise ingredient. In this sense, Mallorca and other areas in Spain stand out in terms of international demand which is in itself a guarantee of success.

Point of view

Why in Spain? Francisco Rivero Journalist and tourist analyst

If I were a foreign tourist businessman I would ask myself, when calling a great professional meeting, about the place to celebrate it. Without doubt I would choose Spain, a country with great cultural heritage, good transport infrastructures, excellent hotel supply, both in large urban accommodation and in the whole of the national territory. A magnificent staff that has been capable of giving the best for the client to be very satisfied when going back to his country of origin. In general terms, thousand of monthly surveys that the Institute for Tourist Research usually makes amongst the travellers who visit us say so. The degree of satisfaction is very high (8,3 over 10) and the habit of repeating Spain as a destination too (85% of the tourists had already been more than once). This is a fact that makes us think: Why do so many people choose Spain to spend their holiday at the seaside or in culturally interesting areas? Why do so many companies organise meetings here? There must be something without any doubt. There must be something that makes Spain such an attractive destination for the citizens of other countries. I have already mentioned: the rich cultural heritage, but also the great professionalism and the expansion of the hotel network where congress activities can take place or the great supply of congress centres which make Spain one of the favourite destinations to celebrate professional meetings. I hope it is like that for many years, for the tourist professionals’ sake and all the people who work for it. Let’s keep on the right track: we will all end up winning something.

Conventions Centers

LA LINEA PALACE A PRIVILEGE PLACE FOR CONVENTIONS La Line Palace provides the enjoyment of a wide range of possibilities near the coast. The city center is located in a privilege setting, a few metres from the British city of Gibraltar and between the Costa del Sol and the seaboard of the province of Cadiz. This supplyes an enormous capacity to attract business people to the three places mentioned.

a Linea de la Concepción Palace is located opposite the Port almost on the seaboard and very near the neighbouring city of Gibraltar which since the XVIIIth century belongs to the British Crown. It is five minutes away on foot or by car. The city center is also very near, about ten minute walk to the main area of shops, bars and restaurants. Another interesting point is that La Linea Convention Palace is very near the beach, just a few minute walk along the Príncipe de Asturias Avenue. In the summer it is heaving with families and young people and in the winter you can enjoy the quiet over the bay of Algeciras or the impressive view of the Gibraltar Rock.

Easy Access by car, ferry or plane Arriving to this convention centre is easy. The airport is at a few meters distance with daily connecting flights to Madrid, London and with connections to other European capital cities that will be opened soon. Connecting flights in these two cities will be necessary for those coming from other parts of the world. Other alternatives to arrive to this palace are flying to Malaga or Seville Internacional airports and driving 100 kilometres along a carriageway by bus or car. If you are landing in Malaga get the motorway to La Línea. This is the main dual carriage way which draws an axis along the Mediterranean. There is a lot of traffic in the summer. As

an alternative, there is the motorway, the AP7, which runs along the Costa del Sol between Torremolinos and Estepona. From Seville the route is a bit longer but there is not as much traffic. It goes along the mountain range and inland spots of Cadiz and Seville. First, you have to go to Jerez de la Frontera along the motorway, the AP4. After that, take the dual carriageway, the A4 to Algeciras and the A7 to La Línea. It is advisable to stop at the pretty andalucian little villages of Medina Sidonia and Benalup. Algeciras bay is situated between the crossroads of the maritime routes which join Spain to the Northern African countries. From the port there are a lot of ferries leaving daily to Ceuta and the Moroccan locality of Tangier. There are many organised trips to these localities. Between regular ferries and cruise ships, more than 1 million vehicles and around 4 million people cross over, specially in the summer.

A multifuntional hexagon The palace has a hexagonal structure, symmetrically divided with the auditorium as the main axis in the centre of the building. The rest of the spaces and auxiliary areas start from this point. This peculiar shape is not the typical for a congress center, giving the building a certain mysterious air as the spaces behind the walls cannot be perceived from the outside. The entrance hall offers various alternatives for the reception of the members of the different conventions with two desks for rental. The central part of the building is the great amphitheatre which access is possible through the first or second floor depending what part of the stalls you are going to. It has capacity for 1.050 people and the translation cabins offer the possibility of working in 9 different languages simultaneously. Seven places are available for disabled people. The amphitheatre, on the other hand, has 350 seats and is surrounded by the eight adaptable meeting halls that the palace has. Each with a capacity for 35 to 80 people, this number can be extended through combinations either for meetings or coffee breaks.

The versatility of the facilities and the staff’s kindness, give this convention center its own personality.

Conventions Centers

The Palace hidden surprises From the entrace, the palace looks moderate with a modest and small appearance. However, once inside with Javier Salinas, the manager, you can see all its hidden spots. An enormous statue of Don Quijote de la Mancha and Sancho Panza on horse back welcome the visitor in the main hall. The sculpture was made by Victor Quintanilla, from La Línea. Javier Salinas is also responsable for the wall paint which has been done in happy bright colours that contrasts with the moderation of the main façade and the impressive Gibraltar rock. The cafeteria has also been decorated in a special way. Its walls have a funny seventy’s look that gives coffee breaks a different feeling.

The search of new markets El Palace of La Línea was first opened in 2005 and since last March functions at its full capacity. The Manager, Javier Salinas has directed the centre with the will of informing congress organisers all over Europe. His two main objectives are Spain and the United Kingdom, natural clients due to the geographical proximity and the connections through the province of Cadiz and La Costa del Sol. Both Gibraltar and Algeciras are important ports for trading and tourists. It is normal to see great cruise ships and oil ships moored in the piers, both cities are potential clients of Palacio de la Linea. The associations that have held more meetings there are representatives of the refineries who work in the British part of the region. Another advantage of the palace is the tourist importance of the Costa del sol as a destination for incentive travelling and its great hotel complexes, spas and golf fields. Cadiz is also specialising in the Meeting Industry and has various states prepared to shelter company travel with different sport and adventure activities. Palacio la Línea Príncipe de Asturias Avenue s/n 11300 La Línea de la Concepción, Cádiz Tel: 956 769 950 Fax: 956 767 264 E-mail: info@palaciolalinea.com

Exhibitions with sun light and events at the seaside The center also has three halls for trade fares and stands. Two of them have capacity for 450 people with indirect natural sun light that fills the spaces at day time. This is the favourite space where a lot of organisers of conventions who have worked in the palace of La Línea choose for their exhibitions. The other hall is the smallest, with artificial light and a capacity for 350. For outdoor events, the palace of La Línea normally uses the hotel terrace Iberostar Campo de Gibraltar, which construction was thought to complement the facilities and has access through different points from the first building. It looks over the bay and at the rock foot. The hotel collaborates with the catering services and shares parking spaces. All the halls and spaces have air-conditioning and heating and Wi-Fi internet connection. The conference halls have projectors and a wireless system for translating reception.

The convention palace of La Línea is located in a strategic intersection to attract clients that hold their events in the South of Spain.

TECHNICAL DETAILS Main Auditorium Small Auditorium Costa del Sol Exhibition Hall Costa de la Luz Exhibition Hall La Roca Exhibition Hall Algeciras Hall Los Barrios Hall Jimena de la Frontera Hall Tarifa Hall Tesorillo Hall La Atunara Hall San Roque Hall Castellar de la Frontera Hall

893 m2, 1047 people. 278 m2, 334 people. 455m2 455m2 375 m2 95 m2 55m2 55m2 63m2 95m2 60m2 50m2 63m2

PALACIO DE LA LÍNEA Príncipe de Asturias Avenue, s/n, 11300 La Línea de la Concepción, (CÁDIZ) Tel.: 00 34 956 769 950 / FAX: 00 34 956 767 264 E-mail: info@palaciolalinea.com www.palaciolalinea.com

Destinations

Valencia MORE THAN THE AMERICAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CUP

Text by PAU MORATA Photos by JAG, PM and FERIA VALENCIA

The city, which will also shelter one of the Grand Prix Formula 1, has an excellent infrastructure for tourist, business meetings and events.

Destinations

The convention center in valencia was pioneer in spain in having three certificates which guarantee its quality: iso 9001, iso 14001 and the ‘Q’ on tourist quality of icte

alencia has everything that is needed to hold any MICE event, from the smallest and most singular to the biggest, in the style of an America´s Cup or a Formula 1 Grand Prix. The city’s infrastructure for business events and meetings, its new hotel supply, its well cared for tourist product and its attractions for complementary activities are bigger and better. This is matched with more quality and professionalism of those who work in an area which keeps growing and renovating.

“We have placed the city in the map” is a quote by the mayoress of Valencia Rita Barberá, which constitutes a sound summary of what the celebration of the America’s Cup last edition meant in terms of the planning process. The figures are overwhelming: more than 25.000 overnight stays in the city which was the headquarters for the 32nd edition of the America’s Cup whose last boat races took place in 2007. With the impact of the media power all over the world, Valencia is the paradigm of the transformation of a city through the celebration of a great event, thanks to which the hotels in the city and the Autonomous Region of Valencia have been the main benefited protagonists. The magazine PROFESSIONAL EVENTS (which belongs to the same editorial as MICE in SPAIN) interviewed José Salinas, director of Tourist Valencia Convention Bureau who is responsible for promoting the city and also director of the convention center. He spoke about the event in itself and the positive consequences for the inhabitants and the Valencia’s economy:

“ The America’s Cup meant a great impulse for Valencia specially as a tourist destination. The choice of the capital as the headquarters of one of the world’s main sport event has centred the world’s interest on the capital city of the river Turia. The people responsible for this choice valued, apart from the excellent conditions for boat races, the constant process of transformation and the effort and desire to improve”.

Destinations Valencia

Valencia has progressed without halt in the last fifteen years and has achieved a place on the level of mice and tourist destinationsâ&#x20AC;?

Valencia has gone a step beyond in terms of extending the hotel occupancy, which has contributed to the position of the city as a MICE destination in the area of great business events. Apart from the Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup, the Formula 1 Grand Prix will be held here in 2008.

Beyond sport events But Valencia is not only the protagonist of highly competitive sport events connected to the media. It has the oldest Fair Institution in Spain which this year has commemorated the first edition of the 1st Industrial and Commercial Trade Fair in 1917. The supply for meeting spaces and of logistic support is large. The city of Valencia has reached in the last fifteen years great prominence as a MICE activity destination and also as a tourist destination in general. There has been perfect understanding between the government and the professionals in this area, amongst who is JosĂŠ Salinas, the main responsible for the organisation of the promotion of the city and its congress center. Turism Valencia Convention Bureau is the organisation for tourist promotion of the city which was founded in 1991 and since it started its activity in 1992, it has achieved the merit of increasing the number of visitors in 240%, becoming one of the key destinations in the Spanish, European and world map. It is the sixth destination in Spain in number of travellers and the European destination that has most increased in this decade, According to statistics, the number of tourist in 2006 was 1.641.872 and the number of overnight stays went up to 3.142.789. It is striking that the increase and continuous number of travellers arriving in Valencia is mainly foreign tourists which constituted in 2006 more than a third of the overall figure. On the other hand, Valencia has the yearly average highest rate in the growth of overnight stays amongst the great European urban destinations in 1990 and 2004 and the second highest rate between 2000 and 2005.

The convention center The convention tourist in Valencia grew in 2006, when 705 meetings were registered, adding up to 177. 955 meeting attendees which meant an increase of 18% in comparison to 2005. After the building and opening of the Convention Center in July 1998, Valencia has managed to accelerate the celebration of acts and meetings to be celebrated in the city with growth rates that exceed any expectation and the most optimistic forecast.

Destinations Valencia

The Convention Center is one of the essential infrastructures for the MICE sector. It has three main auditoriums and numerous supporting halls for smaller meetings, press room, VIP room, simultaneous translation cabins and an exhibition area. It has one of the best quality standards not only in Spain but in the world. It is the only center which counts with a triple quality recognition accredited by Certificates ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and a “Q” for Tourist Quality awarded by the ICTE (Tourist Spanish Quality Institute) With such merit and good promotion, it is not strange that it has sheltered more than 1.160 events with 750.000 attendees in the first seven years of its existence. According to the figures of Turist Valencia Convention Bureau, it is 11,2% of tourists that visit the city come to attend a convention. These activities left a macroeconomic reflection estimated in more than 250 million euros of direct impact to the city. Another milestone in the progression of Valencia in the MICE sector is the new Convention Center of Valencia Fair which was finished in February 2006 and with 12.114 square meters which shelters conventions, congresses and exhibitions. Valencia Fair has the largest fair-

ground in Spain and one of the most modern in the world, with 230.000 square meters in covered area and eight polyvalent pavilions, meeting halls, conference rooms and 68.000 square meters of parking spaces. Valencia Fair installations are five kilometres away from the city center and five minutes away from the International airport (in Manises). This infrastructure allows the simultaneous celebration of conventions, congresses and other multitudinarious events.

New and novel hotels The hotel and hotel room supply in Valencia and its vicinity have substantially increased with the celebration of the America’s Cup. Also leisure and restaurant supply has grown to satisfy the newly arrived visitor’s needs In 2006, the city reached the number of 80 hotel establishments with 15.547 spaces. The occupancy rate is 66,5% far from the saturation at other destinations. The establishments that have proportionally grown more are the five star hotels now represent

What the 32nd america’s cup brought and left: SPECIFIC VISITORS: Total visitors Port America’s Cup: 5,7 million Visitors record in a day to Port America’s Cup: 87.547 ( Sunday 1st of July 2007) Boats of spectators in the 32nd America’s Cup: up to 12 boats each day of boat racing, with a total of 1.300 spectators on board. Maximum number of boats in the boat race area: 2.000 boats each weekend from the 30th of June to the 1st of July 2007. Occupancy of the marinas: more than 1.000 boats (2007 season) One day record: 450 boats Overnight stays: 25.000

INFRASTRUCTURES: Port America’s Cup: 1 million square meters area: headquarters for 12 participant teams, services for superyachts, a marina for more than 600 boats, an emblematic building – Veles I Vents- and the AC Park with 23 bars and restaurants. More than 30 interactive areas, three historical exhibitions, three giant screens to follow the boat races and an amphitheatre for concerts, mainly.

PUBLICITY: Press: more than 100.000 published articles. World television audience: 4.000 million spectators. Hits to www.americascup.com: 22 million Accredited press: more than 6.700 ( total since 2004), season 2007: 3.200, America’s Cup Match: 1.460.- Written press: 371; Photographers: 183; Radio: 49; Internet: 30; Television: 227 journalists and producers plus 600 technicians

2008

New Headquaters for a F1 prize Valencia will hold from 2008 to 2014 the European F1 Grand Prix which races will be disputed in a circuit that has been designed by one of the most accredited world specialists- HermanTilke- who is endorsed by having designed the circuits of Spang, Shangai, Bahrin and Turkey. With 5,4 km each lap, located in the marinas area renewed for the Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup, the F1 grand Prix in Valencia will be watched live by an audience of 100.000 members, who will occupy the temporal stalls for the circuit. The Grand Prix F1 in Valencia, which will be a media power multiplier of the image of the city in the world has been obtained in return to a yearly royalty of 26 million euros and which will have as one of the architects a businessman connected to it and the local autonomous institution.

17% of the total number of bed supply. Amongst the newest hotels the Milton Valencia is outstanding for its singularity, with 29 stories, built opposite the convention center. Another prestigious hotel is the new Westin Valencia. Finally amongst the new Spanish establishments the Hospes Palau de la Mar stands out in this luxury hotel chain.

considered the second Spanish art gallery, the Valencia Modern Art Institute, the National Pottery Museum and the Arts and Science City. Apart from the attractions in the cultural area, sun and beach lovers have twenty-two kilometres of coast, where fine sand beaches of a high nature and ecologic value like the Albufera.

Accessibility and connections An attractive city in itself As a destination, either for participants in MICE activities or for visitors in general, Valencia is a destination which offers a lot of attractive motivations to visit it. With more than two thousand years of history since the first human settlements, the city is a monument in itself, it preserves important gothic, modernist, baroque and avant garde buildings of a high architectural and historic value constituting the axis for visitors to the events, more than thirty museums agglutinate the immense variety of works in the majority of the artistic trends, The Fine Arts Museum is

Arriving in Valencia is an easy job today thanks to the varied number of international connecting flights with the main European cities. The renewed airport has a number of routes which are not saturated and it is located a few kilometres away from the city center, it is a strong point and a competitive advantage to attract business events to the city. As an example 46, 5% of the tourists staying overnight in Valencia arrive by plane, which represents an increase in 10 points higher than five years ago, in 2002. Also access by train is good as there is a high speed train connecting the city with Madrid and with Barcelona. Also the motorways connect to the European network.

Destinations Valencia

VALENCIA CAPITAL HOTEL SUPPLY

EVOLUTION OF HOTEL SUPPLY IN VALENCIA

2006 stars stars stars stars stars

Hotels 7 27 22 13 11

Beds 2.666 7.579 3.752 1.085 465

TOTAL

15.547

5 4 3 2 1

Establishments

Rooms % Rooms 1.359 17% 3.778 47% 2.002 25% 617 8% 246 3% 8.002

1992 52

2002 2003 2004 2005 1,93 1,88 2,09 2,42 2,09 2,37 3,11 2,08 2,53 2,51 1,90 1,26 2,28

2002 64

2003 65

2004 75

2005 74

2006 80

1995 3.881

1999 4.283

2002 5.408

2003 5.786

2004 6.762

2005 6.815

2006 8.002

1995 7.327

1999 8.180

2002 10.321

2003 11.099

2004 12.759

Rooms

AVERAGE STAY OF TRAVELLERS IN HOTELS

1,95 1,91 2,08 2,30 2,30 2,24 2,96 2,00 2,34 2,32 1,96 1,29 2,19

1999 58

100% 1992 3.437

TOTAL 1,97 Spanish 1,89 Foreign 2,04 German 2,36 Belgium 2,34 Netherlands 2,21 Irlanda 2,58 Italy 1,97 Portugal 2,33 United Kingdom 2,25 United States 2,01 Japan 1,17 European 2,20 Community (without Spain)

1995 55

1,93 1,90 2,02 2,38 2,17 1,87 1,92 2,40 2,27 2,12 1,85 1,23 2,20

Beds

2006

1992 6.388

1,79 2,02 1,67 2,03 1,87 2,01 2,28 2,30 1,93 1,88 1,10 1,84 2,03

2005 2006 13.076 15.547

(source: TVCB)

EVOLUTION ROOMS IN VALENCIA

5* 4* 3* 2* 1*

1992

1995

1999

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

272 1.022 1.318 567 258

470 1.250 1.315 560 286

470 1.626 1.542 412 323

524 2.312 1.859 453 260

524 2.692 1.804 463 303

693 3.135 1.874 617 303

694 3.323 1.935 617 246

1.359 3.778 2.002 617 246

(source: TVCB)

MONTHLY HOTEL OCCUPANCY IN VALENCIA 2005

2006

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dic

44,5%

58,8%

60,9%

57,5%

62,7%

67,4%

60,9%

63,2%

68,5%

65,8%

63,9%

50,4%

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dic

53,3%

66,3%

69,8%

67,1%

73,7%

79,0%

70,0%

68,2%

74,4%

75,6%

66,9%

50,7%

(Source: INE)

CONTACTS AND USEFUL DATA: TURISM VALENCIA CONVENTION BUREAU

VALENCIA CONGRESO CENTER:

41 Avda. de las Cortes Valencianas 46015 Valencia Tel.- 34 963 606 353 34 963 390 390 Fax.- 34 963 606 430 turisvalencia@turisvalencia.es www.turisvalencia.es Incentives digital guide: http://www.turisvalenciaguias.com/guiaincentivos.htm Congreso digital guide: http://www.turisvalenciaguias.com/guiacongresos.htm

60 Avda. Cortes Valencianas 46015 Valencia Tel.: +34 96 317 94 00 Fax: +34 96 317 94 01 Address: direcci贸n@palcongres-vlc.com Marketing area: marketing-mc@palcongres-vlc.com operation area: operaciones-ml@palcongres-vlc.com Technical service area: servitec@palcongres-vlc.com www.palcongres-vlc.com

VALENCIA FAIR: Avda. de la Ferias, s/n 46035 Valencia feriavalencia@feriavalencia.com www.feriavalencia.com Tel: + 34 963 861 100 / 34 902 747 330 P.C. Box: 476 46080 Valencia

Proyecto2

21/9/07

13:39

Pรกgina 1

Incentives El Hierro

SCUBA DIVING IN THE ISLAND OF EL HIERRO by JOSÉ ALARCÓN photos courtesy of OF THE TOURIST BOARD (LOCAL AUTHORITY OF EL HIERRO)

In the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s panorama of scuba diving there are areas considered as authentic temples of this underwater activity which is registering a great demand as business incentive travelling. The Caribbean Sea, the Red Sea the Philippines or the coral reefs in Australia are some of these places. However, according to experts, for some time now, other destinations have been added to the circuit. The environmental value with rich and diverse seabed becomes a new attraction for those who are looking for a new something in diving. Internationally speaking, one of these new areas is the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands.

Incentives El Hierro

he condition of a European and world diving destination is becoming more and more consolidated in the island of El Hierro. Not in vain, the island with its subtropical climate, the water temperature oscillating between 18 and 27 degrees C all year round, and exceptional topographic conditions make its various settings a true diving paradise. Another characteristic that makes the island unique are the falls formed by the scarce continental crust which is only seen in few places on Earth. This marine orography takes the fortunate diver to a different world to explore. The darkness in some spots gives the diver an instant shared with the most diverse wildlife. The bottom of the sea here has nothing to envy the most famous diving destinations in the world. The transparent waters – the whole island is in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve directory- the shoals which can be observed, the green and luminous shores conform marvellous scenery for under water experiences to become indelible.

A million year old island Enigmatic and wild the island provides the visitor with absolute silence. This is El Hierro, the youngest of the seven Canary Islands

whose geological age is estimated in around one million two hundred thousand years. Its origin was due to a creak in the magma which continuous eruptions gave shape to a huge volcanic cone of more than two thousand metres high. Other breaks and conducts spat lava which once cold they gave shape to other volcanic cones that shape the island. According to modern geological data its actual shape is due to one of the most devastating and violent natural phenomena that happened 50.000 years ago: a massive landslide in the area known as the Valley gulf. According to experts 300 km3, the volume of a hundred times the volcano of St. Helens sank into the ocean. This started a tsunami of more than a hundred metres high which effect was also felt in the American continent. El Hierro has the highest density of volcanoes in all the Canary Islands. There are more than 500 craters opened and 300 which are covered with lava. There are now 70 catalogued caves and parasitic cones, out of which La Cueva de Don Justo stands out for its size of 6 km. long. The island has also been part of infinite legends. It is said that the Greeks and Romans considered the Canary island to be a paradise, the Fortunate Islands they called

them, where some gods lived who sometimes considered receiving some mortals. The name of the island’s origin is unknown, although it has nothing to do with the metal’s name as there is no iron to be found in the island. Before America’s discovery the western part of El Hierro where Orchilla Lighthouse in located, was considered the end of the world, on the zero meridian at the end of the XIXth century being displaced by the well- known Greenwich Meridian now.

Nature, the main infraestructure Do not expect hotel chains or specialized establishments for comfortable and sophisticated tourism. Do not think about it. El Hierro is an island where its inhabitants and the facilities offered live in perfect harmony with the environment. There, in El Hierro the main infrastructure is Mother Nature. There is a little more of the minimum comforts and technology, the necessary for it to be considered a civilised and well communicated island. As a consequence, if you decide travelling to this Canary Island, you have to know it will be like going back in time, where nothing is superficial and where a stay is deprived of anything concerning mass tourism. All this has

El Hierro is the youngest of the seven Canary islands whose geological age is estimated in around one million two hundred thousand years.

been achieved by the bet the authorities have made on sustainable development of total respect to the environment. Situated in the southwest of the archipielago, it is the smallest and most western of all the islands, it is 287 km2. Full of contrasts like the crash between its size and its highest points, up to 1.500m high of Malpaso and Tinganar. These characteristics make different climates and types of vegetation possible. In this way, from the airport of La Restinga, the area where divers go, moon landscape with craters of volcanoes near the road, green fields with cattle, horses and goats are only separated by stone walls which

The bottom of the sea here has nothing to envy the most famous diving destinations in the world. This marine orography takes the fortunate diver to a different world to explore.

give a bucolic touch to the landscape. As you progressively go higher in altitude, you go through dense fog and great forests of pine tree or laurisilvas, the original trees. This island is a true peaceful backwater in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Ideal for those looking for peace and quiet. It is the perfect place to rest or practice outdoor and adventure sports with special mention to diving, speleology, surf, hiking or cycling for the distances are short. El Hierro is well

connected with ferries and flights. The airport is near the capital,Valverde and daily flights connect the island to Tenerife and Gran Canaria. In the summer the connections are extended to La Palma. The connections by ferry regular lines with Tenerife and La Gomera leave from La Estaca port. Hotel infrastructure seems to have been thought about for the number of visitors and number of days of stay. The lodging supply

OPEN FOTOSUB

10 YEARS OF UNDERWATER PHOTOS The Open PhotoSub contest in El Hierro Island has been taking place for the last ten years. It is without doubt responsible for the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international status as a scuba diving destination. This photo contest is open to professionals and skilled enthusiasts, giving the opportunity year after year of looking into the best underwater images of El Hierro. With regulations that are extremely respectful to the environment, photographers of a number of European countries contribute to the competition as a world reference for any enthusiast of diving. The photos taken by the participants are usually spectacular and go round the world showing the exceptional marine scenery of El Hierro.

Incentives El Hierro

El Hierro is an island where its inhabitants and the facilities offered live in perfect harmony with the environment, where the main infrastructure is Mother Nature.

in El Hierro has been mainly based on rural cottages, and tourist apartments found in each and every village in the island, as well as pensions and apartments and the few hotel establishments. The National Parador of El Hierro is one of the highest category in the whole of the island. This four star is situated in the area called Las Playas in the village of Valverde. The remaining hotels are the three star Pozo de la Salud Spa Hotel in Sabinosa and the two star Punta Grande Hotel in Las Puntas, known and registered in the Guiness Records Book as the smallest hotel in the world, with four rooms. There is also the Ida InĂŠs Hotel in Belgara Alta.

Diving Paradise The spectacular cliffs with falls of 1.200 m. and the crooked lava formations are in themselves an attraction for the visitor who will also be able to contemplate the richness of flowers in the central part of the island do-

minated by the tree mass with canary pine tree, beech tree, heather and juniperus sabina which bend their branches in the winds direction. But the authentic sights are seen on the abrupt coast hiding under its transparent waters, the awesome seabed which is as fascinating as the landscape outside. A genuinely natural symphony which presents itself as a paradise for divers and underwater fishing. The great slopes typical of the island facilitate a 100 metres deep near the coast. The spots and areas all show rich tropical species of flora and fauna. The globe fish, the lobster, black coral, grouper, atlantick pollock, great white bream shoals, barracudas, hammer sharks, tunas and trigger fish stand out. These great differences in heights make the observation of great devilfish, tunas and trigger fish, especially in the summer. Scuba diving in the warm waters of Las Calmas raises great interest among the divers without any doubt. This area, as its name sug-

The authentic sights are seen on the abrupt transparent waters, the awesome seabed.

gests, is protected from the currents and winds and guarantee the practice of scuba diving all year. Here, the waters of the ocean become as calm as a millpond creating a unique atmosphere in the whole of the Canary archipelago. It has been accredited seacoast reserve with its caves, arches and parasitic cones covered in flora. Near the coast a lot of slopes have a concentration of species such as devilfish, sharks, tunas, and sunfish. El Hierro has now 25 scuba diving areas, where the scuba diving centers and compa-

nies offer services efficiently attending to the demand. Experts on scuba diving divide the island in two areas: the north which includes diving in the north and east coast and reaches the Roque Bonanza near the Tourist Nacional Parador, and the south area from the fishing village of a Restiga to the whole area called Las Calmas sea. In the north area, the port of La Estaca is the shipment point for most of the trips. The most outstanding settings are the Baja Palometa, which is a group of small islands in the shape of stone needles showing a spectacular sea bed with vertical walls of 120 metres deep. The species there are groups of top-gallant peeps, and yellowjacks, also sharks can be seen, devilfish and medregal. Other important places are La Caleta in the northern part or the island, where the bottom of the sea is a platform going off the coast and which at about twelve metres distance becomes a 25 metre margin. Here, the

wildlife shows special diversity and quantity. About five minutes away from La Estaca port, there is another spot called the Atolón where a light colour sandy seabed breaks down two parallel slopes pointing northeast. They go from 2 metres down to 20 m. Here shoals of megrim, atlantic pollock and white bream are found and in the rock cracks groupers and moray. Also part of the north area are places like Tijeretas, Punta Ajonesor Roque de Bonanza. The starting point in the south area is the fishing village of La Restinga where the diving point El Barbudo is situated after crossing Las Calmas sea and which seabed is of volcanic type. This place is formed with a labyrinth of canals, cracks and peaks appearing as soon as we leave the coast. The prevailing fauna is the blue megrim, white bream and grouper and globe fish in the rocks. Other spots in the southern area are El Desierto, 200metres from the coastline signaled by a buoy

where you anchor the boat. The seabed here is typically algae and rock. La Baja Rosario in the middle of Las Calmas sea has capricious shapes and crooked cracks like El Salto, very near La Restinga, where the bottom of the sea originated from an enormous solidified spit of lava introducing itself to the sea an forming a series of tracks, arches and caves which illuminate through the upper cavities sheltering crustaceous like lobster and shrimp. Other points in the area are Tarancón, Roque de Tarancón and La Punta del Labial or The Devil’s Cave, where you arrive after 15 minutes sailing from La Restinga and which best attraction is the bottom of the sea where you can explore many rocky cavities of the cliffs situated at about 8 meters deep. All along the route lobsters and globe fish can be seen. This island is definitely fortunate in hospitality, generous landscape and bursting with wildlife and thus, one of the paradise destinations for those who love discovering the sea.

Incentives El Hierro

USEFUL INFORMATION SCUBA DIVING CENTERS

HOTELS

Rosamar, SL

LA RESTINGA AREA El Hierro

Parador of El Hierro ****

Tel: 00 34 922 55 04 22 Tel. aeropuerto. 00 34 922 55 01 23 9 San Francisco St. Valverde e-mail: rosamar@rosamar-sl.com www.rosamar-sl.com

Tel: 00 34 922 55 70 23 / 609 26 18 38 12 El Rancho St. e-mail: info@centrodebuceoelhierro.com www.centrodebuceoelhierro.com

Tel: 00 34 922 55 80 36 fax. 00 34 922 55 80 86 26 Gral. Las Playas road. Las Playas. e-mail hierro@parador.es www.parador.es

Cicar, SL Hotel Spa Pozo de la Salud ***

Arrecifal Tel: 00 34 922 55 71 71 / 696 61 72 01 30 La Orchilla St. e-mail: info@arrecifal.com www.arrecifal.com

Tel: 00 34 922 55 94 65 fax: 00 34 922 55 98 01 Pozo de la Salud. Sabinosa e-mail: balneario@el-meridiano.com www.el-meridiano.com/balneario

Tel: 00 34 922 55 71 84 / 679 18 15 94 4 La Ola St. e-mail: eltamboril@eltamboril.com www.eltamboril.com

Aquascuba-El Submarino Tel: 00 34 922 55 70 75 / 686 13 76 33 2 Mar铆tima avenue e-mail: info@elsubmarinobuceo.com www.elsubmarinobuceo.com

Meridiano-0 Tel: 00 34 922 55 70 76 / 620 94 85 33 19 La Orchilla St. e-mail: meridianocero@terra.es www.meridianocero.info

FRONTERA AREA Mobula Tel: 609 47 54 87 El Matorral St. e-mail: mobula@arrakis.es www.mobulabuceo.com

LAS PLAYAS AREA Hierro-Sub diving Club Tel: 00 34 922 55 04 82 8 Gral. Las Playas road. e-mail: hierro_sub@yahoo.es www.inicia.es/de/hierro-sub

TOURIST ENTERPRISES La Sanjora

Hotel Boomerang ** El Tamboril

Tel: 00 34 922 55 15 39 / 630 07 58 60 Aeroport e-mail: info@cicar.com www.cicar.com

Tel: 00 34 922 55 02 00 Fax 00 34 922 55 02 53 1 Doctor Gost St.. Valverde

Tel: 00 34 922 55 18 40 / 629 05 98 14 65 Dacio Darias Avenue. Valverde e-mail: elhierroserviciosturisticos@yahoo.com

Tiempo Sur Hotel Punta Grande ** Tel: 00 34 922 55 90 81 Fax: 00 34 922 55 90 81 Las Puntas. Frontera (according to The Guiness Records Book, the smallest hotel in the world with capacity for 8 people)

Tel: 00 34 922 55 11 68 / 610 70 75 18 4 La Constituci贸n St. La Restinga e-mail: tiemposur@arrakis.es www.arrakis.es/tiemposur

TRAVEL AGENCIES Ecoturs Travel

Hotel Ida In茅s ** Tel: 00 34 922 55 94 45 Fax: 00 34 922 55 60 88 2 Camino del Hoyo, Belgara Alta. Frontera e-mail: info@hotelitoidaines.com www.hotelitoidaines.com

CAR RENTAL Autos Bamir Tel: 00 34 922 55 01 83 Tel. aeropuerto: 00 34 922 55 12 45 27 Dr. Quintero St. Valverde e-mail: bamir@autosbamir.com www.autosbamir.com

Cooperativa de Transportes Tel: 00 34 922 55 07 29 fax: 00 34 922 55 14 96 14 El Molino St. Valverde e-mail: copviajeros@yahoo.es

Tel: 00 34 922 55 15 32 19 La Constituci贸n Avenue. Valverde e-mail: ecotours_valverde@yahoo.es www.viajesecotours.com

Insular Travel Tel: 00 34 922 55 00 38 fax: 00 34 922 55 12 61 1 San Juan St. Valverde www.viajesinsular.es

MORE INFORMATION: Insular Tourist Board 4 Dr. Quintero Magdalena St. 38900 Valverde. Isla de El Hierro Tel: 00 34 922 55 03 02 fax: 00 34 922 55 29 03 www.elhierro.es e-mail: turismo@el-hierro.org

Proyecto1

7/11/07

14:15

Pรกgina 1

Incentives Granada

GRANADA CULTURE AND ADVENTURE FOR UNFORGETTABLE INCENTIVES

Granada is internationally known for its impressive cultural supply, to which the standard-bearer is the building of the Alhambra, one of the most visited in Spain. However, this city and its province have also an excellent scenario to widen the tourist horizon when it comes to offer new formulas, specially if it is meeting tourism or more precisely incentive tourism. Granada simply amazes for its enormous possibilities, infrastructures and the professionalism of the companies dedicated to this speciality. by J. ALARCĂ&#x201C;N photos JAG and PATRONATO DE TURISMO DE GRANADA

Incentives Granada

obody doubts about the fact that this city, located at the foot of the mountain mass of Sierra Nevada at 662m above sea level, is one of the Spanish jewels. Granada not only offers the outstanding doses of monuments to the visitor, but also he or she will experience a number of good sensations like the kindness and hospitality of its people, the gastronomy inspired in the oldest Arabic recipes, its fiestas and folklore or simply, the deep jasmine scent in so-

me neighbourhoods in the spring time. In Granada, birthplace of the poet Federico GarcĂa Lorca, everything is there to captivate during your visit making this place ideal for meetings and incentives at any time of the year. One of the greatest attractions to the city apart from the Alhambra are the Generalife gardens which have inspired many artists and musicians and which have trapped so many characters in stories and novels as the north

American writer, Washington Irving in his famous â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stories of the Alambraâ&#x20AC;? , But there is more to see and enjoy in Granada, Fiestas, celebrations, active tourism proposals. Amongst some are the celebrations are the Corpus Christi, Easter which is lived with devotion and passion, or the complete programme of activities on the tourist side which go from hiking in the heart of Sierra Nevada, to scuba diving in the warm waters or its tropical coast or even an exciting canyo-

The powerful cultural supply in Granada allied with the exciting activities that can be practised in its exuberant nature make one of the most original incentives.

Alhambra, an everlasting dream It is the most emblematic building in the city the most beautiful of muslim heritage. It is the beginning of a series of buildings that are raised up at the top of a reddish hill from which it takes its name which in Arabic means “The Red Castle”, Al Qal’a alHamra. It was built in the XIIIth and XIVth centuries by the Nazarí dynasty as a military fortress and royal residence. It is one of the most sensational manifestations of Islamic architecture. Many critics have said that the Muslim architects of the Alhambra have almost achieved the materialisation of a Paradise on Earth or an everlasting dream. Its fountain system, channels and pools provide a very nice microclimate that the visitor notices when walking round the scented gardens and yards. Amongst the gardens Machuca, Arrayanes or Patio de los Leones stand out. This last one is considered the most significant; it was built during the kingdom of Mohamed V. The complex is formed by the Nazarí Palaces (Royal Palace), Generalife of the Alcazaba. The views from this point over the city are spectacular.

Incentives Granada

Each of the companies in Granada dedicated to multi- incentive attend an average of 2.700 clients yearly.

ning adventure down its spectacular natural scenarios or a speleological trip into the insides of the Earth.

Granada, the starting point Although the province of Granada has good and interesting settings and villages, its capital, Granada, has the best profile as a meeting point to Start a great visit to this land of Andalucia. Thus, to get to know the city, apart from the compulsory visit to the Arabic fortress, you have to visit other places and sights as the cathedral, a transition work between gothic and renaissance with 5 naves is one of the most important examples of renaissance in Spain: the Capilla Real, founded by the Catholic Kings to place their shrines and which museum has paintings by Botticelli, Berruguete o Van der Weyden; the old fish market is a XVIth century building with an impressive baroque façade; the Alcaiceria, and old Arabic silk market which has not lost a bit of the flavour of a Moroccan market with its narrow and winding streets. The visitor cannot miss a walk round the Albaicin, the neighbourhood located on the hill opposite the Alhambra which once was the home of the Arabic Ziries kings in the XIth century, Walking the streets here is like taking a jouney into history as there are many old imprints as the Arabic Baths, the Puerta Monaita gateway of the Arco de las Pesas. On the other hand, a good number of churches built over old mosques are found in the route of this emblematic area. Some are El Salvador, San José or San Juan de los Reyes which still preserves two minarets of the Nazarí epoch. Another place worth seeing and enjoying is to go on one of the organised trips to the Sacromonte Caves, where the gypsy’s houses are decorated with the typical pottery and copper and in which you can enjoy flamenco singing and dancing shows or the so called troglodyte parties. The Palace of Madraza, the university which Yusuf I king of Granada; the abbey of Sacromonte; the Corral del Carbón, one of the most important Arabic monuments of its type, or the Cartuja, a 1506 convent, make the rich and varied cultural offer in Granada.

From culture to emotion After enjoying and visiting the capital the visitor still has the exciting experience of the natural settings which surround the city. In this sense the visitors thirsty with emotion and adventure will find one of the best Spanish settings for the practice of any type of sport that active tourism considers. Active tourism in which rural and adventure tourism are agglutinated, assumes one of the tourist sub areas with greatest demand nowadays and maintains great

growth prospects. This is the reason why the province of Granada has turned over to this area for which companies and organizations have the support of the authorities and institutions through an action programme as the organisation of specific conferences aimed at attracting incentive travelling to Granada, which some companies pay for their employees as a bonus and acknowledgement to their work, based on an original activity schedule supported by cultural, gastronomic and in contact with nature resources A total of 55 companies work now in acti-

ve tourism, this figure makes the province the first in Andalucia followed by Cádiz, Málaga and Jaén. On the whole in the autonomous community of Andalucia, there are 250 companies and one fifth operates in Granada. According to the Tourist Board, the sector generates eight million euros in the province and 175 direct jobs which in the high season go up to 350. Each of the existing companies in Granada attend a yearly average of 2.700 clients, so it can be said that active and sport tourism attracts about 127.000 visitors to the province.

The beautiful scenery and the professionalism of specialised companies, guarantee the most varied supply of multiadventure activities

MORE INFORMATION PATRONATO DE TURISMO DE GRANADA Tel: +34 958 24 71 46 Pza. de Mariana Pineda, 10 18009 Granada www.turgranada.es

Cities Madrid

Madrid

Where almost everything is possible The tenacity of its ruling class in the last three five-year periods has positioned the city in the exclusive group of world favourite destinations por Pau Morata fotos D. FUENTES AND FILES

Cities Madrid

ew European cities, and in the world in general, supply such a modern ample and varied offer to celebrate professional, business and scientific meetings. Almost anything is possible in meeting infrastructure in the Spanish capital city. International, national and local ceremonies can simultaneously be accommodated in this city. One of its highest aspirations now is to host an edition of the Olympic Games, and has been working for years in this direction. Not only Madrilenians but also foreign visitors have an impressive and wider and wider range of spaces for their meetings and events. Adding to these, the offer for conventions and incentive travelling which round up what the Meeting Industry spaces offer in the city and its vicinity.

From an approach of what the sector needs, everything is possible in Madrid. To satisfy these needs there is the indoor space for conventions in the Madrilenian fairground, IFEMA, the Madrid Arena, along with the exceptional institutional and private meeting centres amongst which there are halls and auditoriums in a high number of hotel establishments. Madrid also provides the additional competitive advantage, against other destinations, of the recently extended international airport which operates daily on a great number of national and international connections. Barajas airport is perfectly connected to the business city centre and the fairground Juan Carlos I , thanks to the useful underground service and an efficient fleet of taxis.

A hugue state event supply

Its excellent and various infraestructures provide the competitive advantages in comparison with other destinations.

-the private one, supplied by hotels, is also huge- taking only one part of the supply provided by the state in Madrid for the meeting industry, it is compulsory to mention the pioneering role of The Casa de Campo Fairground. This special fairground is placed in the biggest green area of the city with more than 1.700 hectares of forest and gardens. The Casa de Campo Fairground is an adequate place for

small and medium size events. From 2001 the local enterprise Campo de las Naciones administers the place and which has also given birth to Madrid Arena known as the RockĂłdomo, in the Casa de Campo too. Madrid Arena is a multifunctional pavilion of glass facade and a big dome, equipped with the latest technology and ready to welcome any kind of business, cultural, recreational, sportive â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like the Master Series Tennis Trophyor commercial events. The Master Series Tennis Trophy takes place here. Its stands are retractable make modifications possible to adapt the central court depending on the characteristics of each event. This is complemented by an auxiliary pavilion which communicates with the crystal pavilion through a tunnel. Another key structure is the Juan Carlos I Auditorium, which has been providing since its opening in 1992, when Madrid was chosen the European cultural capital, a space for outdoor events, specially concerts and shows. Its location is interesting as it is set in a green area full of enormous sculptures which contrast with the green fields, the ponds and the river. Around the same time the Municipal Congress Palace was opened in 1993 and which counts about 3000 events celebrated and more than 8.600.000 visitors. Built in the at that time

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Cities Madrid

Barajas airport is perfectly connected to the business city centre and the fairground Juan Carlos I.

emerging area of Campo de las Naciones is greatly connected with the modern and fast public transport corresponding to the subway line that communicates the village and the airport of Barajas with the Nuevos Ministerios station, right in the financial and administra-

tive Madrilenian centre and very near the old city center. There are more than 30.000 square meters adding all the spaces together. It has two halls –one with capacity for 1.900 the other one for 900-, an all purpose hall of 2.200 squa-

re meters and 30 rooms of different capacity. Very near it, in the fairground Juan Carlos I, we find the impressive fair infrastructure for meetings belonging to IFEMA, with different available spaces which complement each other.

The vicinity of the city, an added value To the multiple attractions that the city of Madrid provides, within the strict local limits, the ones existing in the surrounding area of influence can be added. From San Lorenzo del Escorial to Aranjuez, through Chinchón (a village of exceptional beauty), Alcalá de Henares (with its historical university campus), Manzanares el Real and San Martín de Valdeiglesias ( both with beautiful castles), Rascafria ( with its nearby monastery of El Paular and Buitrago de Lozoya ), are some ideal locations where places to hold events and meetings can be found.

Cities Madrid

This Madrid shows also the four new skyscrapers which have modified the city skyline.

The Convention Centre Norte opened in 2002. It has 20 rooms available just on one floor, and they range between the hall for a dozen people, to the enormous conventions with more than 2.000 people. Also, with a hall for exhibitions and celebrations, 12 different rooms which can be joined in two for meetings of about 20 to 50 people. Six medium size rooms with capacity for 200 hundred people and which can also be joined, and two bigger halls which as the auditorium can fit between 300 and 1.100 participants On the other hand The Convention Centre Sur has a 600 seat auditorium as its protagonist, with a varied choice of supporting adaptable halls. The area also has 10 pavilions for fair exhibitions which contribute 150.000 square meters of fair area. They are complemented with 38 halls of different characteristics and sizes lined next to the pavilions with the out door areas used for special acts too.

Some visions of madrid As a big city should, Madrid celebrates a number of local events, apart from the national and international events with foreign participation. In this last case the visitors arriving to the city can also find restaurants, excellent hotels and a huge entertaining and cultural possibilities for their free time – or organizedpre and post event free time activities. On the cultural side, there is a great number of museums, and the city itself is a piece of art showing the development of architecture and town planning. There are at least three recognizable urban imprints to the old city centre as a result of the historical periods of the last 455 years. dings as the Fine Arts Academy of San Fernando and the cathedral of San Francisco el Grande respectively. These were times of urban flourishing of palaces and monuments which are still present providing a certain personality to the streets and squares.

Capital city since 1561

The most recent Madrid and more outstanding at first sight is that emanating out of the contemporaneous civil engineering architecture. It is the view from the new terminal 4 in the airport, the great centre of Campo de las Naciones which predecessors are the skyscrapers of the Castellana –beside which the other congress palace is located. This Madrid shows

also the four new skyscrapers which have modified the city skyline. The second architectonic imprint is -still present in the city- the one that belongs to its Borbonic past, specially that of Carlos III, a king who was nicknamed “The Corrector” and who made the Retiro Park, monuments as La Puerta de Alcalá, and civil and religious buil-

Finally, the third architectonical and urban richness is that which derives from the title of capital city, which was decided by Philip II and happened in 1561. The well known Madrid of the Austrian Dynasty emerged. The development and extension of the first city court took over the old town nucleus. The new capital city of the kingdom by royal decision continued growing and spreaded along the river Manzanares on the plain where Madrid is located at 650 m. over sea level. The king moved the court and institutions to Madrid which meant a great deal of construction which is still at sight for the visitors to enjoy. The Palace of Santa Cruz, the courts jail which is now the Foreign Office, convents like Las Descalzas or La Encarnación, the main square La Plaza Mayor, and the bridge El Puente Segovia, all belong to this period.

USEFUL ADDRESSES MADRID CONGRESS OFFICE MADRID CONVENTION BUREAU Calle Mayor, 69 Madrid 28013 ESPAÑA Tels.: (34-91) 588 29 00/02/12/13/15 Fax: (34-91) 588 29 30 congresos@munimadrid.es Main meeting and exhibition centres members of the Congress Office/ Madrid Convention Bureau:

Convention Centre MAPFRE MAPFRE VIDA building, 40 General Perón Avenue, 28020 MADRID Information and bookings,. Tel.: 91 581 16 27 Fax: (91) 581 25 97

Auditorium Juan Carlos I Tel.: 91 722 04 00 Fax: 91 721 06 07

Circulo de Bellas Artes

Madrid Congress Palace

42 Alcalá St., 28014 MADRID Tel.: 91 360 54 00

99 Paseo de la Castellana, 28046 MADRID Tels.: 91 337 81 00 / 01 Fax: 91 597 10 94 castellana.palacio@tourspain.es www.madridconventioncentre.com Director: José María Bethencourt Fontenla

Euroforum 38 Rey St., San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid Company Meetings Department Tels.: 91 896 70 00/10/61/54/77/53/55 reservas@euroforum.es

IFEMA – Convention Centre Madrid Fair 28042 MADRID Tels.: (34) 91 722 50 74, Secretaryship (Customer Service) y 91 722 50 00 (switchboard Ifema) Fax: (34) 91 722 57 89 convenciones@ifema.es www.ifema.es/convenciones

Municipal Congress Palace Empresa Municipal Campo de las Naciones Calle Ribera del Sena, s/n 28042 MADRID Tel.: 91 722 04 00 Fax: 91 721 06 07 info@campodelasnaciones.com

Fairground Casa de Campo Madrid Arena Tel.: 91 588 93 93 Fax: 91 588 93 85 www.camponaciones.com

Hotels

Selección de establecimientos que suponen garantía de éxito para cualquier reunión

HESPERIA TOWER HOTEL MEETINGS, STAYS AND HIGH QUALITY RESTAURANTS

The Hesperia Tower Hotel is a genuine skyscraper which since its opening has changed The skyline of Barcelona for its ultramodern architecture. It is becoming a reference among the city’s offer, as it provides all the services needed for congresses, leisure, business and catering.

144 Gran Vía 08907 L’Hospitalet (Barcelona) Office: Tel: 00 34 93 413 50 00 Fax 00 34 93 413 50 10 E-mail: eventosl@hesperia-tower.com www.hesperia-tower.com Contact: Silvia Vidal

• 5.000 m2 of halls distributed in 4 different floors • 21 halls with capacity for 20 to 2.000 people, 15 with sun light • 2 open air terraces for cocktail parties, coffee breaks and social events with capacity for 350 people each. • Auditórium for 500 people • 13 halls with adaptable size through separating panels. • Latest technology audiovisual equipment

Hotels

This establishment needs special mention as it shelters a complete Convention and Congress Center in the same hotel.

he hotel has 280 luxury rooms, 12 duplex suites with a jacuzzi., executive suite and presidential suite. It also has a Convention and Congress center of 5000 square metres, an innovative sports center and spa, and the central offices of the Hesperia chain in a building attached. Its location is remarkable only a few minutes from the port and the airport in one of the most important entries from a strategic and communication point of view. It is also a short distance from the new fairground of Fira de Barcelona Gran Via. These are factors that help make businessmen and businesswomen the target clients.

ration of all the dishes of its wide selection, from starters to pates cheeses macerated and refined with the best wines. Apart from its gastronomic excellences, the restaurant is special for its modern atmosphere, lacking superficial luxuries and with a great personality. Something else that makes the hotel a great place for business trips is the Metropolitan Club, a gymnasium with all types of facilities to exercise and relax. Amongst others we point out the 25 metres long swimming pool, the hammam and jacuzzi areas and the yoga and pilates sessions.

Spaces for well-being

An exclussive congress center

This hotel is also notable from the gastronomic point of view. With two prestigious restaurants: the Restaurant and Bar Bouquet and EVO whose chef is laureate Santi SantamarĂa who has been awarded with three Michelin stars. It is located on the top floor inside the crystal dome where a well cared cuisine can be enjoyed with a panoramic view of the city. The Restaurant & Bar Bouquet stands out for being the pioneer of the wine tasting gastronomy in the city. Wine is present in the elabo-

This establishment needs special mention as it shelters a complete Convention and Congress Center in the same hotel. It offers 5.000 adaptable square meters and various halls for many different purposes which companies like Bausch & Lomb, Account Managers o Deutsche Bank have chosen to hold their meetings, conventions and events. The center also has a great hall of 1614 square metres and the Millennium Auditorium with capacity for 500 people; three multipurpose halls of 200 square metres and 12 loun-

Its size and facilities have nothing to envy any other convention center.

ges separated and formed with adaptable panels and, the latest audiovisual equipment. Various outdoor terraces for cocktail parties, coffee breaks and social events complete the main congress activities. The hotel has sun light in most of the halls, entries, press room and Business Center apart from the latest technology. This brings the hotel to the top places to celebrate Barcelona professional events as it is showing in the few days it has been functioning. It has held meetings and conventions for important companies and firms like Deustche Bank o Bausch&Lomb Finally, the hotel provides the frequent business traveller with facilities that anticipate and solve necessities. This service offers 42 rooms, and 23 suites located on three floors and the Tower Club Lounge which is dedicated exclusively to its clients.

The Hesperia Tower has become the emblem of the Spanish hotel chain despite its recent opening.

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Special Venues

TORRE ALDEALSEﾃ前R KINGLIKE MEETINGS The region of Castilla takes its name after the typical medieval walls in this area. The province of Soria is also known for its beautiful landscapes which have inspired poets and artists to the point of melting their names with them: Campos de Machado.

The hotel has a total of 16 rooms thought out for the maximum confort and rest, 3 of them have capacity for 4 people. The gardens with private access have an area of 8,000 m2.

Special Venues

he castle is special for its morphology. Built around an Arabic tower of the Xth century, it was extended in different periods until what it looks like now. The restoration was directed by the architects José María Pérez “Peridis” and Fernando Gaforio. It has respected the old building making it compatible with the elements which give most comfort to clients. The building has been considered Property of Cultural Interest. The hotel has a total of 16 rooms thought out for the maximum comfort and rest, 3 of them have capacity for 4 people. The gardens, with private access, have an area of eight thousand square metres.

Decoration with history The decoration is based on the combination of elements of different periods. Atmospheres dedicated to relaxation and others for the celebration of meetings and conventions. It has different lounges with capacity up to 200 people. The Xth century tower has six floors all of which are for the guests access where incredible views can be enjoyed as well as different activities as the music room, the library, the exhibition hall or the pool room. There is a magnificent wine cellar on the ground floor where intimate meetings can be celebrated in a special space. The wine selection is local (Rivera de Duero) and other neighbouring brands with guarantee of origin (Rioja). On the whole, the catering has specially been well looked after keeping a perfect balance between traditional recipes and the evolution of new trends. The base is the local product as the truffle or the variety of mushrooms of the area, cheese, veil, cod or potatoes that have grown at one thousand meters of altitude. Definitely, a quality offer in a unique and unrepeatable place where you can develop your best initiatives with the tranquillity that it offers.

The restoration was directed by the architects José Mª Pérez ‘Peridis’ and Fernando Gaforio.

On the whole, the catering has specially been well looked after keeping a perfect balance between traditional recipes and the evolution of new trends.

TORRE ALDEALSEﾃ前R Calle del Castillo, 1 42180 Aldealseﾃｱor, Soria Telf.: +34 975 251 250 Fax: +34 975 251 252 www.torrealdealsenor.com

Special Venues

Selecci贸n de establecimientos que suponen garant铆a de 茅xito para cualquier reuni贸n

CASTILLO DEL BUEN AMOR VERY, VERY ORIGINAL In the countryside of Castile and Leon, Castillo del Buen Amor instantly transports guests to the past upon arrival. The original castle dates from XI century and it was extensively refurbished as a palace at the end of the XV century by the bishop Fonseca. The Castle was catalogued as a national monument by decree on June 3rd, 1931. The interior has all the attributes of a tranquil past era combined with the luxurious comforts of the 21st century.

All the rooms have been individually decorated combining antique furniture with modern one.

ccording to its location, the castle can be considered of the type "castles on plains" which includes castles on plains or small hills, and can be located in the country like Castillo de Buen Amor or in town centres. The Castillo de Buen Amor is located only 15 min. drive from Salamanca city and 25 from Zamora’s. Surrounded by grounds with oak, pine, cork and almond trees and the stream Arroyo de Cañedo, the castle is away from the city rush. There are 41 guestrooms available, some of them under the turrets´ domes or under ceilings with original beams, always in unexpected spaciousness, within the primitive enclosure of the castle, recreating the knightly, military and Renaissance atmosphere of its founder Don Alonso de Fonseca, and displaying unique architectural details. All the rooms have been individually decorated combining authentic antique furniture with modern everyday comforts. The old castle dungeons have been refurbished as a restaurant which offers innovative local specialities and modern Mediterranean cuisine with a selection of the finest Spanish wines to satisfy all appetites. The gothic courtyard, surrounded by beautiful arches, is the heart of the castle and can be used for special events such as large formal dinners.Places of interest nearby are the cities of Salamanca (20 km) and Zamora (45km). Salamanca is known for its celebrated university and historic city center and Zamora for its remarkable 12th century cathedral. There is also the river Tormes; outstanding golf courses in Zarapicos, Villamayor, and La Valmuza; and small typical Spanish villages like La Alberca and Candelario all of which are less then one hour's drive from the castle.

More information: Ctra. N-630, Km 317,600 37799 Villanueva de Cañedo (SALAMANCA) Tel: 00 34 923 35 50 02 Fax: 00 34 923 35 51 12 www.buenamor.net e-mail: reception@buenamor.net

Incoming

MAIN SPANISH DMC AGENTS REPORT Spain is a country with a long hospitality tradition, and it has been years since the tourist departments and private agencies work to attract numerous visitors. As a result there is the convention bureaus and the dmc companies, both specialised in business and meeting tourism. Today, anybody coming to celebrate a congress or fair in the country will find professional working teams in all institutions which work to guarantee the success of the call. This report will try to draw the panorama of institutions and companies where you can seek advice. By MARTA MARTIN photos OWN FILES

n Spain, convention bureaus have direct relation with the different official organizations which regulate the tourist activities in the different cities and regions. Most of them are agglutinated under Spain Convention Bureau, constituted in 1984 by the Spanish Federation of Provinces and Local Councils as a specialised department within the tourist commission. Nowadays, its main activity is to promote the exchange of experiences and information within the tourist sector amongst the local councils; on the other hand, they carry out actions aimed at promoting the cities both national and internationally. Apart from this, the SCB channels the relations and facilitates the first contact between the local councils and their clients. This entity can, for instance, advice and give information on the possible destinations to receive events, taking into account the hotel capacity and the available spaces. Doing so, the companies willing to celebrate a congress or a convention will be able to know if the place chosen adapts to their requirements. As in the rest of the world, the Spanish CB represents a starting point to anyone who wants to organise an event of certain importance. The information about the necessary requirements to have an event organised and the possible alternatives or other interesting points is offered there. Not all of the Spanish CBs are associated to the SCB, so the possibility exists of not finding the one you are looking for. Moreover, being a state body it does not contemplate private incoming companies amongst their associates.

Spain Convention Bureau 00 34 913643700 â&#x20AC;˘ www.scb.es â&#x20AC;˘ info@scb.es

Cádiz Convention Bureau

A Coruña Convention Bureau Amongst other services, the people in charge facilitate professional documents about the city and what it has to offer, they make first contact with the suppliers and they organise journeys to familiarize. In collaboration with the main airlines they also negotiate discounts for participants in the congresses and offer tourist information. They also promote the event in their web page. 00 34 981 184 344 www.turismocoruna.com infoturismo@aytolacoruna.es

Barcelona Convention Bureau The BCB is a specialised programme of Turisme de Barcelona, an entity where Barcelona Council, the official Commerce Industry and Navegation Chamber and the Barcelona Promoció Foundation. It also has the contribution of the private sector and aims fundamentally at the promotion of the city as the headquarters for congresses, conventions and incentive travelling. The BCB was born in 1983, one of the first of its kind in Spain. It plays two differentiated roles. On the one hand it advices on planning and organising meetings. On the other hand, it carries out activities to promote and encourage the organisation of meetings in the city of Barcelona. Amongst its functions is the aid to choose headquarters, accommodation and suppliers to your congress, meeting or incentive journeys, cultural and leisure activities for delegates and their partners, visits to the city and trips. It supplies plans and tourist leaflets of the city to the attendees and acts as a link with entities and institutions for council services and protocol. It also plans and supports the candidature process apart from cooperating in the promotion of congresses. The BCB periodically organises journeys from different markets to familiarize and get to know the city’s supply. It also makes statistic documents on meetings celebrated in the city. 00 34 93 368 97 00 www.barcelonaturisme.com/bcb bcb@barcelonaturisme.com

The Cadiz Convention Bureau started as an initiative of private companies to improve the meeting services in this province and attract new clients. Córdoba did the same. They also seek the participation of public institutions in their projects. Amongst their aims are attracting clients, the promotion of the destination, the information on infrastructure of meeting tourism, and the personal advice to clients. 00 34 94 479 57 70 www.cadizcongresos.com info@cadizcongresos.com

Girona Convention Bureau Girona Congress Office is a department of the Commerce Industry and Navigation Chamber which since 1992 promotes the city and its province as a business tourist destination. Amongst other services they give information on the companies dedicated to this sector, advice and search of services and the most adequate activities for the event. Additionaly, they elaborate a feasibility study on infrastructures, accommodation, access, spaces, services, activites, etc. to carry out congresses anywhere in Girona. They also take part in the organization committee and negociate license management. 00 34 972 418 500 www.gironaconventionbureau.com turisme@cambragirona.org

Logroño Rioja Convention Bureau Logroño Rioja Convention Bureau was created thanks to the collaboration between the private and institutional sector, but business men and women are the protagonists. The LRCB promotes the city of Logroño and La Rioja as a specific congress, convention and incentive travelling destination. The main aim is to support and promote all types of professional meetings encouraging the use and development of the tourist infrastructures of the city. The LRCB works within three action lines: congresses, conventions, and incentive travelling. Amongst its functions are the aid to candidatures, selection of headquarters and hotels, exclusive visiting programmes of the region, the wineries and wine tasting activities. Furthermore, they have compromise to attend petitions within 48 hours. 00 34 941 273 713 www.lrcb.es lcb@logro-o.org

Málaga Convention Bureau Málaga Convention Bureau (MCB) works within the Council Tourist Board which specialises in business tourist meetings. Its main aim is to promote the city as the headquarters for congresses, conventions and incentive travelling. The MCB, given its institutional position, has great knowledge of everything related to meetings and has consolidated close relations with the companies from the sector. The MCB works on two main areas: meeting planning and organisation advice and promotion of the city as a destination for the meeting tourist sector. The institutional non profit aspect, allows the advice and support services of the MCB to be free of cost, with a guarantee of impartiality. The MCB organises journeys to familiarize amongst different professional groups to improve the knowledge of what the city has to offer in the area of meeting tourism. Nowadays it has nearly 60 associate members who contribute to the elaboration of statistics which the entity makes every financial year. 00 34 952 06 18 30 www.malagaturismo.com convention.bureau@ayto-malaga.es

Murcia Congress Office Founded in 1998 by the city’s council and has the contribution of public and private service sector. The priorities are to promote the city of Murcia as a headquarters for congresses, conventions and incentives. The people in charge of this office facilitate the technical support necessary for the presentation of candidatures and the celebration of any kind of event in the city. Some of the services offered are the supply and demand coordination services, the elaboration of technical and specific dossiers, the organisation of initial inspection visits to the city, special discounts for congress attendees in RENFE and IBERIA amongst others. Furthermore, it offers institutional and technical support to the event organisers, promotional and general information about Murcia, media dissemination and the presentation of events in other cities. 00 34 968 34 18 18 www.murciacongresos.com murcia.congresos@murciacongresos.com

Pamplona Convention Bureau Pamplona Convention Bureau is an entity which essential aim is the promotion of Pamplona and Navarra as a congress, convention and incentive destination. The services it offers go from the presentation of candidatures of congresses and events, the collaboration in initial inspection

Incoming

visits or the advice for the elaboration of leisure programmes. It also facilitates contact between the companies and the documentation to congress attendees. It also makes congress market research 00 34 948 228 919 www.pamplonaconvention.com pcb@pamplonaconvention.com

Pazo da cultura de Pontevedra Pazo da Cultura in Pontevera works as a congress office offering advice for the choice of a headquarters, services and infrastructures in the city. It also facilitates contact with the local professionals. It additionally collaborates in license management and advices on social programmes. 00 34 986 833061 www.pazodacultura.org coordinacion@pazodacultura.org

Salamanca Convention Bureau Salamanca Convention Bureau works within the tourist department although the managing entities are independent. Founded with the participation of the public and private sector: Council, County Council, Castilla and León Board, Commerce Chamber, Hotel Business Association and Salamanca Commerce Business association. The services offered are advice to organisers, information about the city, advice on cultural and leisure programmes for delegates and partners, and the support in the license management with the local police. They also offer participation in candidatures and all of the services are free. 00 34 923272408 www.salamancaconventionbureau.com congresos@turismodesalamanca.com

Tenerife Convention Bureau Tenerife Convention Bureau is Tenerife’s specialised Tourist area (SPET) which offers congress organisers a wide network of companies and professionals. Amongst them, there are congress centres, hotels and transport companies, congress hostesses, publicity and simultaneous translation agencies; TCB also provides trips, sport and outdoor activities to have leisure time also scheduled. 00 34 922 237 889 www.tenerifecb.com info@tenerifecb.com

Santader Convention Bureau Santander Convention Bureau derives from the city council’s initiative and aims at channelling and attending all the demand on in-

formation and organization about congresses and conventions free of charge. The Council, Cantabria’s government, the Commerce Chamber, the Hostelry Business Association and the Travel Agency’s association participate in this entity. Amongst its functions are the promotion of the city as a headquarters for meeting tourism, capitation and channelling of events to the city, development of infrastructures amongst other services. One of the most interesting points of this CB is the collaboration proposal for obtaining access to historical monuments and the elaboration of prospective programmes. 00 34 942 20 30 02 www.santanderconventionbureau.com congresos@ayto-santander.es

Santiago de Compostela Convention Bureau Santiago de Compostela Convention Bureau ( SCCB) aims at attracting and channelling meeting tourism. The entity is coordinated by the City Council through the local society of Incolsa- Tourism of Santiago in which public and private companies participate. It has a hundred members. SCCB offers the following services free of cost: promotes the city, encourages the use or specific services in the meeting areas and supports candidatures and official destination presentations. It also participates in the organization of initial inspection visits, fam-trips, and press-trips, licence management to use historical and monumental local buildings and establishes cooperation agreements with institutions and business organizations. 00 34 981 555 129 www.santiagoturismo.com sccb@santiagoturismo.com

Sitges Convention Bureau Sitges Convention Bureau is a programme made by the Turismo de Sitges promotion agency in which different companies related to the tourist area participate. Its main objective is to promote Sitges as a destination for the celebration of congresses, conventions and incentive travelling. It was officially constituted the 8th of June 2004 with 18 founding members Sitges Convention Bureau offers advice to professionals about places to hold congresses, hotels, social programmes and other activities and it cooperates in the presentation of candidatures contributing with graphic and audiovisual material. 00 34 93 894 42 51 www.sitgestur.com conventionbureau@sitgestour.com

Extremadura Convention Bureau Extremadura Convention Bureau is a non profit Business Association that arises from the sector’s necessity of promoting Extremadura as a business tourist destination and to increase the number of congresses, conventions and fairs, etc. It is an entity which counts with the business support of the tourist sector of Extremadura with 60 associated businesses. It also has the cooperation of the public institutions which promote initiatives and projects. Its services are free and they include studies on congress activity in this autonomous region. Extremadura Convention Bureau’s main objective is to promote Extremadura as a destination for business tourism and achieve holding the maximum number of events in our region. On the other hand, it is also involved in coordinating the sector with support to candidatures and advice in the organization of events. It also coordinates institutional presence and participates in the dissemination of the event. 00 34 924 10 10 73 dir.promocion@extremaduracb.com www.extremaduracb.com

Almería Congreso Office Almeria Congress Office is a new department which is specialised in the tourist meeting sector within the Economic Employment and Tourist Development of the Council of Al-

mería. Amongst its objectives is the promotion of the city as a congress, convention and incentive travelling headquarters, promoting the use and development of the tourist infrastructure and of specialised companies and encouraging the participation of public and private companies. This congress office contributes with complete and objective information about facilities and services, facilitates contacts, supports the dissemination of the event and offers guided visits to the participants and circulates statistic facts amongst other things. 00 34 950 281 449 www.turismodealmeria.org turismoalmeria@aytoalmeria.es

Zaragoza Congress Zaragoza Congress is a specialised department within Zaragoza Tourismo and offers free services not only to support candidature presentation, but also as an advice centre about the organization and management of congresses and also offers direct services. Zaragoza Congress has a specific promotion and reception department. All of the work goes to the promotion of Zaragoza as the ideal city to receive congresses, conventions and incentives, in fairs and through familiarisation journeys. The majority of hotel establishments are members of this office and the same happens with other specific spaces as congress centres, fairs and auditoriums. 00 34 976 721 333 www.zaragozaturismo.es zcb@zaragoza.es

Gran Canaria Convention Bureau The office in Gran Canaria began thanks to the effort made between the local public action and the companies and entities connected to the tourist sector in the island. Amongst its functions are the presentations, familiarisation journeys and participation in fairs, apart from the support and collaboration with the majority of the events that are held in the island. The three congress centres in Gran Canaria are associated to Gran Canaria Convention Bureau. After studying each case individually, they get in contact with organisers and associates. The Gran Canaria Convention Bureau, offers companies and people who wish to organise a congress, convention of incenti-

ve in Gran Canaria, a series of free services: advice on congress centres, hotels and other services (transport, hostesses, simultaneous translation, audiovisual material, etc.) in the island. It also offers advice on the social programmes for delegates and partners and institutional and technical support to organisers of events if required. Another essential function of this office is the presentation of candidatures in the adequate forums as congress headquarters in the island. This is done elaborating a dossier of the candidature and adapting the presentations to each necessity with technical and audiovisual material. 00 34 928 26 15 70 www.grancanariacb.com jmgarcia@grancanariacb.com

Cuenca Convention Bureau Cuenca Convention Bureau is integrated within the Cuenca Tourist Foundation and all the services are free. Amongst these, there is a technical advice and promotion service which materialises with the assistance to fairs, presentations, national and international congresses with Castilla la Mancha Tourism, World Heritage Cities Group, and Alliance of Congress Heritage Cities. The staff in CCB is in charge of informing and advising about tourist infrastructure in the city and its province, organising familiarisation journeys, collaborating for institutional support and advising on the elaboration of social programmes for the delegates and their companions. 969 241 050 www.turismocuenca.com congresos@turismocuenca.com

Granada Tourist Office The Provincial Tourist Board of Granada is a Provincial Council dependant body established in 1982. Currently it has three goals: To promote the province’s rich and diverse tourist potential and to consolidate Granada as a holiday destination, both at home and abroad. To stimulate province tourist development in order to make tourism a motor of its economy and an important resource of work and income. To create loyal tourists by offering professional attention and information to make their visit more pleasant and satisfactory.

The board is chaired by the leader of the Provincial Council of Granada and its work is controlled by the General Council, the Consultative Body and Territorial and Sectorial Departments. The provincial Administration is also represented in these bodies, as the Junta de Andalucía (The Regional Administration), trade unions, the business community and financial bodies, councils of the province and other public and private entities related to tourist aspects.

Oviedo Convention Bureau Oviedo Convention Bureau is a congress local office which has an agreement with the Oviedo Congresses Business Club as preferential member. The office is dependant on the Municipal Board of Tourism and Congress and has been run by the management of the Congress Centre which is the Auditorium-Congress Centre Príncipe Felipe. At the end of 2008, the celebration of congresses will be held at the Congress Centre which is privately run as a municipal concession. Its services are oriented to advice congress organisers about infrastructures, services and tourist activities. It also contributes with cocktail parties, lunches, suppers and folkloric shows (bagpipe bands) which are offered to be included within the social programmes. They also do promoting acts at national and international fairs, workshops, and congresses. 985 272 307 www.palaciocongresos-oviedo.com congresos@ayto-oviedo.es

Lanzarote Convention Bureau Lanzarote Convention Bureau is integrated in the tourist department of the local council of the island and its services are free. They promote Lanzarote as a destination for congresses, conventions and incentives and collaborate in the marketing plan. They also do studies on the region’s sector. The main promotional actions of the LCB are attending to fairs, workshops, presentations and local and national commercial visits, mailing, fam-trips and intial inspection visits. 00 34 928 811 762 www.turismolanzarote.com conventionbureau@lanzarotecb.com

Incoming

Alicante Convention Bureau Alicante Convention Bureau is a specialised section in the promotion and attraction of congresses, conventions and incentive travelling. It is integrated in Alicante Council Board of Tourism and Beaches and has about 70 members. Its functions are promoting the meeting market in the city, free advice on the planning and celebration of events. In addition, they organise and coordinate familiarisation journeys, initial inspection visits and institutional acts as well as the finding and reservation to emblematic places for social acts of the meeting market. 00 34 965 14 70 52 www.alicantecongresos.com congresos@alicanteturismo.com

Donostia-San Sebastián Convention Bureau The Convention Bureau is integrated within the San Sebastian Tourism entity. San Sebastian Tourism Convention Bureau is a de-

partment which is dedicated to meeting and incentive tourism with the circulation of the image of the city and the territory as a goal to promote them as meeting places. The requirement profile of the attendees or type of meeting is studied to offer the best solution and channel the wide network of collaborating members who could satisfy their demands, from infrastructures, accommodation or services, etc. The management of the demands includes the advise for the election of the most appropriate place for the event, coordination with institutions for services, protocol acts and similar, and the management of permits for the use of buildings and other spaces. All this is free for the organiser. SSCB also collaborates in the previous initial inspection visits of the meeting organisers and familiarisation journeys to detect the necessities of the organiser and offer the most adequate answers. 00 34 943 481 466 www.ssconvention.com bureau@donostia.org

Private Agencias Apart from all the convention bureaus in Spain, there is a wide range of agencies which work on attracting meeting tourism to our country. They normally work hand in hand with the public institutions, congress centres, transport companies, hostesses, hotels and other spaces. They usually have large experience with groups and since the mid 80’s they have more and more specialised in the meeting tourism. Some of these dmc agencies are integrated within large tourist chains. This is the case of Ultramar Express Event Management, subsidiary of the group Tui which is specialised in congresses, conventions and incentives, special events, sport events, cruise receptions, tourist groups and FITS. They have a network of more than 22 offices in the main Spanish tourist cities and have more than 100 employees. The destinations they work are Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Seville, Costa del Sol, The Balearic Islands, The Canary Islands, Cádiz, Benidorm, Huelva and Tarragona. infoevents@ultramarexpress.com • www.ultramarexpressevents.com

Intersol

Cititravel

ITB

This is the case of INTERPOL, integrated in the Carlson Wagonlit Travel which functions independently. Intersol DMC specializes in the creation, design and operation of programmes relating to Incentive Travel and Company Conventions in all destinations in Spain, at the request of Incentive Houses, Business Travel Agencies, Marketing Companies, Publicity Agencies and other Corporations. It’s working area is Barcelona, Costa del Sol, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Valencia, Madrid, Sevilla and Mallorca. It is currently made up of a team of professionals people highly qualified in the organization of congresses, both national and international. For the organization of a congress, Intersol is able to offer you any type of service that may be needed, depending on your requirements. This agency has been integrated in the Key DM together with the Dutch company to create this new brand. head.office@intersol.es www.intersol.es

Otra agencia receptiva de importancia en España es Cititravel. Esta es una Destination Management Companies especializado en Incentivos, Reuniones y Viajes de Negocios y Conferencias. Se fundó en 1985, con sede en Málaga, en la Costa del Sol. Distintas sucursales han sido estratégicamente dispuestas en Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Valencia, Tenerife y Mallorca. Cada una de estas oficinas está compuesta por un equipo de profesionales dedicado a planificar y llevar a cabo sus conferencias más importantes. Another receptive agency which is very important in Spain is Cititravel. It is a Destination Management Company which specialises in incentive travelling, meetings and business and conference trips. It was founded in 1985, its headquarters are in Málaga, in the Costa del Sol. Different branches have been strategically situated in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Tenerife and Mallorca. Each of these offices work with a highly qualified working team dedicated to the planning and carry out the most important conferences bcn@cititravel.es www.cititravel.es

ITB is one of the leading Destination Management Companies in Spain in the incentive and conference markets. In a country with four official languages and several dialects, it is important to have staffing that can guarantee expertise in the local areas. For that reason, they have offices in Barcelona (for eastern Spain and the Balearic Islands), Madrid (for the central and northern parts of the country), and Costa del Sol (for southern Spain and the Canary Islands). They cover every aspect of organization from ground handling and transfers, to registration, hospitality desks, gala dinners and themed banquets. They manage the bookkeeping, project review and debriefing. They also understand the different aspects and requirements of incentives, for which our expertise is sought, in this demanding type of business. In addition product launching is another important activity in our country. itb_bcn@viajesitb.es www.viajesitb.es

Events

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION

2008

ZARAGOZA WATER WORLD CAPITAL by VICTOR PUIG VILARRUBIS photos JAG and Files Expo

Next year, 2008 Zaragoza will be the water world capital. For three months, from the 14th of June untill the 14th of September, Expo Zaragoza 2008 will be celebrated with the slogan “Water and Sustainable Development”. All the figures around the Expo are high: 7.500 visitors are expected; there will be more than 3.200 shows in the 90 days that it lasts; 30.000 season passes to visit the fairground of the International Expo Fair were sold out in a few weeks; more than 90 countries will participate in Zaragoza 2008, are just a few amazing figures for this event .

Its strategic situation make it the perfect city to become the headquarters of any national or international event and to become a very attractive city for the MICE sector.

ext year, 2008 Zaragoza will be the water world capital. For three months, from the 14th of June untill the 14th of September, Expo Zaragoza 2008 will be celebrated with the slogan â&#x20AC;&#x153;Water and Sustainable Developmentâ&#x20AC;?. All the figures around the Expo are high: 7.500 visitors are expected; there will be more than 3.200 shows in the 90 days that it lasts; 30.000 season passes to visit the fairground of the International Expo Fair were sold out in a few weeks; more than 90 countries will participate in Zaragoza 2008, are just a few amazing figures for this event . All of this will allow the city of Zaragoza to show the world that it is an open and dyna-

mic city with multiple possibilities to stay a few days for leisure or to organise a congress or a meeting. Its strategic situation, 300 km from Madrid and Barcelona of Bilbao and 350 from Valencia, make it the perfect city to become the headquarters of any national or international event and to become a very attractive city for the MICE sector. Thanks to its motorways and double carriage ways, it is easy to arrive to Zaragoza. There is also a modern airport fifteen minutes away from the capital city and with connecting flights to the main Spanish cities and weekly flights to European capital cities such as London, Milan and Frankfort. There daily AVE trains to Madrid take less than

two hours, and in 2008 the AVE will also arrive to Barcelona. Moreover, the fairground is only 700 metres away from the AVE station and only 2 km away from the city center with easy access by car.

Wide Hotel supply Zaragoza has a wide hotel supply which in 2006 gave service to more than 125.000 people who visited the city on business and participated in some of the more than five hundred conventions, meetings and events that took place in Zaragoza last year. The figures of visitors and events are growing

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Spanish Pavilion The Spanish Pavilion of the Expo 2008 has been thought about with energy saving criteria using environmentally friendly materials and renewable energy. The pavilion is held by columns covered in earthenware which will help create a microclimate with place for a type of architecture concerned about sustainable development. The building will be covered by a roof which is an energy container with solar plaques and water tanks to collect rain water.

The International Fair will give a new Convention Center which will be opened at the beginning of 2008. and some previsions point to 2009, after the Expo, as the possibility for the city to be the headquarters of 800 events a year. All of this thanks to the fact that Zaragoza has now more than forty hotels of different categories and more than 7000 beds which will reach 10.000 once the thirteen new hotels open during the previous months to the International Fair opening. Amongst the highest category hotels in Zaragoza The Palafox, The MeliĂĄ Zaragoza, and The Boston Hotel stand out. The three of them are five star hotels located in the city center. The Internacional Fair will give the city a new Convention Center which will be opened at the beginning of 2008. It is a nine storey building with a main auditorium with capacity for 1500

people and numerous meeting halls. The Convention Center will add to the Auditorium built in the 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and which includes several different halls, one of them with capacity for 2.500 people, for conferences and all types of events. All of this with the great infrastructure that the Trade Fair means, located at the entrance of the city and which has nine pavilions and another Convention center with capacity for 600 people. Zaragoza Fair is one of the most important in Spain and in its fairground twenty events are organised yearly: the International Water Exhibition, or the Environment Exhibition which in 2006 gathered 40.000 people which in 2008 will be the prelude to the Expo and both will take place from the 14th to the 18th of March only three months before the beginning of the International Trade Fair.

Zaragoza new references Zaragoza with the Expo 2008 has decided to create new references for the city which can rival El Pilar basilica or other emblematic buildings and thus be a synonym of the city of Zaragoza. Three examples of these new references are the Third Millennium Bridge, The Water Tower and the Bridge Pavilion. The Third Mileninium bridge is unique given that its 270 m long and 44 m high will have a glazed promenade for pedestrians and cyclists and several resting areas. It is the biggest concrete structure in the world. The bridge will be the main entrance to the Expo. Another acess to the Expo will be the Bridge Pavilion which will connect the right bank of the river Ebro, with the fairground of the exhibition with a gladiolus shape structure thirty metres wide and 270 metres high. The bridge by the Irakian architecture Zaha Hadid,

Events

Interview to

ROQUE GISTAU president of the Expo Zaragoza 2008

What will the Expo mean to the city of Zaragoza? First of all, with this International Exhibition, we want to show Zaragoza to the world and try to make the city a world reference concerning future water planning as Syllicon Valley and Kioto are known now for. We must take advantage of the point that Zaragoza is also the headquarters of the UN secretariat for the Water Decade which we want to use to make Zaragoza become the great planner of information about water in general; a place where an answer to water problems in any part of the world can be found. But Zaragoza also aims at becoming the center of technology progress such as the Californian water supply network or the tsunami defence systems in Japan, amongst many other things which the scientific community is still divided. On the other hand, we would like to leave a urban piece of architecture, a modern icon which will reflect what the city, this community and this country are now. What will the Spanish pavilion show? The Spanish pavilion is inspired in the typical black poplar forest characteristic of the Ebro riverside. Apart from the exhibitions shown, the pavilion will be in itself a proof that ecology and technology can go hand in hand. The construction has been conceived with saving energy criteria, using environmentally friendly materials and integrating renewable energies. The visitors will experience a microclimate thanks to the combination of water and air which will dramatically lower down the temperature with the smallest energy consumption. The Spanish Pavilion has been conceived by the architecture studio of Patxi Mandado and the Renewable Energy National Center (CENER), and developed by the State Society for International Exhibitions (SEEI). What use will the fairgroud have after the Expo? The Post Expo has been our main worry from the first day. The project was developed to be compatible both with the International Trade Fair and with a coherent project when the exhibition is over. Thus, when the Expo closes on the 15th of September, a new project must start: the adaptation of the Expo buildings to new future uses in this urban piece. The projects have been designed considering this. Demolishing the least part to be able to adapt it to the foreseen plan. In the Post –expo phase the pavilions in the fairground will become a business park of 160.000 square metres. We are convinced that the Meandro de Ranillas will be one of the working, cultural, leisure and shopping most important center of the city. Spain as the organising country will build all the pavilions so it is advisable to think about the future. At what point is the work now? Will it all be finished for the opening day? The work for the Expo is going well and will be finished in time. The work at the fairground is progressing well and we are up to date with all the projects. So, an optimistic message has to be given to society. The timing is perfect and the challenge of celebrating an Expo doing all the work in less than two years is difficult. Water and Sustainable Development is the central issue in Expo Zaragoza 2008. What is the message you want to put across? Current habits when using natural resources and the universal access to them need to be changed. The Expo wants to illustrate this in the pavilions. Carry out debates, talks, conferences through The Water Forum whose conclusions will be elaborated at the end of the Expo period but also entertain through the leisure activities, shows and tourist content of Zaragoza and all of Aragón. Finally, the hotel capacity of Zaragoza will be able to face the thousands of visitors to the city? The number of hotel beds is increasing to 10.000 with the building of 13 new hotels. These hotels will specifically cover the demand in the three months that the Expo will be celebrated without an afterwards excess in such a way that the balance between supply and demand in the city in 2009 will not be broken. Because of this, alternative accommodation like the Villa Expo, a camping site, youth hostels or bed and breakfast are all for visitors with a lower buying power, will cover this demand and will disappear after its closing date.

the only woman who has been awarded with the Pritzker prize and the Nobel prize of Architecture, will have a cover and will shelter exhibition halls. The most emblematic building of the Internacional Trade Fair will be the Water Bridge built over a skirting board in the shape of a water drop of seventy m. high. Inside it, the exhibition “Water for Life” where listening to water sounds will be possible, experiencing feelings ranging from relaxation to restlessness. The exhibition will give the visitor the opportunity of directly experiencing polar cold, stifling heat, or dry heat.

The gateway to water culture Expo Zaragoza 2008 is situated in the Meandro de Ranillas. An area of 150 hectareas delimited by the river Ebro. More than ninety countries will be represented in the Expo including the majority of European countries and other latitudes like Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, China, India, Morrocco or Venezuela to give but a few participating countries. Each will offer their particular vision on water and the way of achieving a sustainable development. Only the stands of the different countries will take up 60.000 square metres. One of the places the visitor must see at the Expo will be the biggest River Aquarium in the world, which will take up an area of 8000 square metres and will have three hundred species

of fauna and flora typical from the main rivers in the world and distributed in fifty fish tanks. The route suggested will be through five of the biggest rivers in the world: The Nile, The Amazone, The Darling-Murray and The Ebro. One of the attractions of this huge river aquarium is that it will opened to visit after the three month trade fair and will become an important tourist attraction for the city of Zaragoza after the exhibition. Other places to visit will be the theme squares. Six exhibition spaces monographically relating to six topics related to water: prevention, life in nearby water areas, water share, thirst; water and the city; and acuatic inspirations. In these espaces you will be able to follow the water cycle or visit a self sufficient home or learn about the functioning of renewable energy. During the ninety days of the Internacional Exhibition different live shows will be taking place. More than 32.000 theatre groups, cabaret and concerts, street shows in the fairground like “The Snake’s Awoken” designed by Cirque du Soleil. One of the most appealing shows will take place over a great iceberg 55m. high and ninety metres wide located in the river Ebro. Each day a twenty minute fable will be shown about the people’s responsibility with the Earth and how they can help improve the situation. The show by the company Focus and directed by Calixto Bieito, has also been chosen for the opening of the Expo Zaragoza 2008.

All the fairground will become a business park of 160.000 square metres for any enterprise interesed being based in the capital. The tickets for the Expo Zaragoza 2008 will cost 35 euros a day or 70 euros for a three day pass. The success has been so great that 30.000 season passes have been sold out already. Once the Expo 2008 is over, all the fairground will become a business park of 160.000 square metres for any enterprise interested being based in the capital.

Many incentive proposals Zaragoza and all of the autonomous region of Aragón offers an endless list of tourist proposals and of appealing aspects for the MICE sector. From the gastronomic point of view, wine tasting of any of the four varieties of the area: Cariñena, Calatayud, Campo de Borja and Somontano, is a good way of learning about these wines. Another gastronomic suggestion is the tapas routes in Zarago-

Events

Zaragoza with the Expo has decided to create new references for the city which can rival El Pilar basilica or other buildings.

More than ninety countries will be represented in the Expo including the majority of european countries and other latitudes like Saudi Arabia, Argentina or China.

za, especially in the city center around all the bars and restaurants surrounding Santa Maria Square, San Pedro Nolasco and Santa Cruz where you can find two typical restaurants, Casa Portol茅s and Casa Juanico where the croquettes and the famous ham are a good choice. Amongst the typical dishes of the city there is the borage with potatoes, guirlache, and hake stuffed with Teruel ham and peppers. Apart from gastronomic routes, Arag贸n has exultanly beautiful countryside and natural spots where sports can be practiced and open air activities like hang gliding or paragliding in the mountain range of Javalambre, or canyoning or climbing in the Pyrenees.

Util guide

UTIL GUIDE CONVENTION BUREAU

Murcia

Turismo Valencia Convention Bureau

Oficina de Congresos de Murcia

34 96 360 63 53 turisvalencia@turiosvalencia.es

Barcelona

34 968 34 18 18 congresos.murcia@congremur.com

Barcelona Convention Bureau 34 93 368 97 00 bcb@barcelonaturisme.com

Bilbao Bilbao Convention Bureau 34 94 479 57 70 bicb@bilbaoturismo.bilbao.net

Gerona Gerona Convention Bureau 34 972 41 85 00 gicobu@cambrescat.es

La Coruña Consorcio de Turismo y Congresos de La Coruña 34 981 18 43 44 info@turismocoruña.com

Las Palmas Gran Canaria Convention Bureau 34 928 26 15 70 convention@laspalmasgccb.com

Madrid Spain Convention Bureau 34 91 364 37 00 femp@femp.es

Madrid Convention Bureau 34 91 588 29 00 congresos@munimadrid.es

Málaga Málaga Convention Bureau 34 95 206 18 30 convention.bureau@ayto-malaga.es

Palma de Mallorca Mallorca Convention Bureau

Zaragoza Zaragoza Convention Bureau 34 976 72 13 33 zcb@zaragoza.es

34 971 73 92 02 info@mallorcacb.com

Tenerife Convention Bureau

CONVENTION CENTERS

34 922 23 78 89 info@tenerifecb.com

Barcelona

S.C. Tenerife

Santander Santander Convention Bureau 34 942 20 30 02 congresos@ayto-santander.es

Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona 34 93 230 10 00 ccib@ccib.es

Palau de Congressos de Catalunya 34 93 364 44 00 marta.rodriguez@pcongresos.com

San Sebastián

World Trade Center Barcelona

San Sebastián Convention Bureau

34 93 508 80 00 congresos@wtcbarcelona.es

34 943 48 14 66 bureau@donostia.org

Bilbao

Santiago de Compostela

Palacio de Congresos y de la Música de Bilbao ‘Euskalduna’

Santiago de Compostela Convention Bureau

34 94 403 50 00 info@palacioeuskalduna.net

34 981 55 51 29 turismo@santiagoturismo.com

Sevilla Turismo de Sevilla 34 95 459 29 15 turismo@sevilla.org

Toledo

Burgos Palacio de Congresos Y. Atapuerca 34 947 00 11 22 info@palaciocongresosatapuerca.com

Cádiz

Toledo Convention Bureau

Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones

34 925 21 31 12 congresos@toledo-congresos.org

34 956 29 10 17 cadiz2000@palaciocongresos-cadiz-com

Valencia

Córdoba Palacio de Congresos

34 957 48 31 12 palacio@cordobacongress.com

Hotel Auditoriu Madrid 34 91 400 44 00 info@hotelauditorium.com

Granada

Centro de Convenciones Feria de Madrid

Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos

34 91 722 50 74 convenciones@ifema.es

34 958 24 67 00 palacio@pcgr.org

Centro de Convenciones Mapfre Vida

Jerez Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones 34 956 18 07 32 ifeca@dipucadiz.es

La Coruña Palacio de CongresosAuditorio 34 981 14 04 04 director@palacongres.com

La Línea de la Concepción Palacio La Línea 34 956 769 950 info@palaciolalinea.com

Las Palmas de Gran Canarias Palacio de Congresos de Canarias 34 928 49 17 70 info@pcongresos-canarias.com

Logroño Riojaforum Palacio de Congresos y Auditorio de La Rioja 34 941 276 200 riojaforum@riojaforum.com

Madrid Centro de Congresos Príncipe Felipe

34 91 581 16 27 cc@mapfre.com

Palacio de Congresos de Madrid

kursaal@kursaal.org

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos de Tenerife 34 922 22 29 52 iftsa.iftsa@cabtfe.es

Santander

34 91 337 81 00 castellana.palacio@tourspain.es

Palacio de Exposiciones

Málaga

Sevilla

Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga

Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de Sevilla

34 952 04 55 00 pfyc@promalaga.es

34 95 447 87 00 general@fibes.es

Mérida

Sitges

Palacio de Congresos de Mérida

Centro de Congresos Melia Sitges

34 924 007 308 palacios@palaciosdecongresosdeextremad ura.com

34 93 811 08 11 melia.sitges@solmelia.com

Murcia

Tarragona

Auditorio y Centro de Congresos Víctor Villegas

Palacio Ferial y de Congresos de Tarragona

34 968 34 10 60 congresos@ auditoriomurcia.org

34 977 24 55 77 info@palaucongrestgna

Palma de Mallorca

Torremolinos

Congress Palace Palma

Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones

34 971 73 70 70 info@congress-palace-palma.com

Salamanca

34 942 29 00 40

34 95 237 92 03 direccion@palacio-congresos.com

Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones

Valencia

34 923 26 51 51 congresos@palaciocongresossalamanca.com

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias

San Sebastián

34 96 197 45 00 rree@cac.es

Palacio de Congresos

Palacio de Congresos Auditorio Kursaal

34 96 317 94 00 palcongres-vlc@palcongres-vlc.com

34 943 00 30 00

Centro de Eventos de Feria Valencia

Util guide

34 902 74 73 32 eventos@feriavalencia.com

Valladolid Centro de Congresos Valladolid 34 983 42 93 00 feriavalladolid@feriavalladolid.com

Santander LogroĂąo AC Gran Hotel La Rioja 34 941 27 23 50 aclogroĂąo@ac-hotels.com

Madrid Hotel Hesperia Madrid

Zaragoza Auditorio Palacio de Congresos de Zaragoza 34 976 72 13 00 informacion@auditoriozaragoza.com

34 91 210 88 00 hotel@hesperia-madrid.com

Hotel HUSA Princesa 34 91 542 21 00 husaprincesa@husa.es

Hotel Melia Castilla 34 91 567 50 00 melia.castilla@solmelia.es

HOTELS Barcelona Hotel Arts 34 93 221 10 00 info@harts.es

Hotel Barcelona Hilton 34 93 495 77 77 barcelona@hilton.com

G.H. La Florida 34 93 259 30 00 info@hotellaflorida.com

Hotel Grand Marina 34 93 603 90 00 info@grandmarinahotel.com

Hotel Miguel Angel 34 91 442 00 22 hma@occidental-hoteles.es

Marbella Hotel Don Carlos 34 95 283 11 40 resa@hotel-doncarlos.com

Palma de Mallorca

Hotel Princesa Sofia 34 93 508 10 00 psofia@expogrupo.com

Salamanca

Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I

Salamanca Forum Resort

34 93 364 40 40 reservas@hrjuancarlos.com

34 923 33 70 20 convenciones.hoteldb@grupomrs.com

Hotel Landa Palace 34 947 25 77 77 landapal@teleline.es

34 981 55 24 44 pcarmen@achotels.com

Sevilla Hotel Melia Colon 34 95 450 55 99 melia.colon@solmelia.com

Hotel Hilton Buenavista Toledo

34 971 78 71 00 golfhotelsonvida@arabellasheraton.es

Burgos

Hotel AC Palacio del Carmen

Toledo

34 93 488 17 17 recepcion@hotelmajestic.es

34 94 423 55 00 lh@hotellopezharo.com

Santiago de Compostela

34 91 701 67 67 comercial@ritz.es

Arabella Sheraton Golf Hotel Son Vida

Hotel Lopez de Haro

34 942 27 25 50 realsantander@husa.es

Hotel Ritz

Hotel Majestic

Bilbao

Hotel Real

Hotel Alameda Palace Salamanca 34 923 28 26 26 angela@hotelalamedapalace.com

San SebastiĂĄn Hotel Maria Cristina 34 943 43 76 00 hmc@westin.com

34 925 28 98 20 info.buenavistatoledo@hilton.com

Valencia Hotel Melia Valencia Palace 34 96 337 50 37 melia.valencia.palace@solmelia.es

Zaragoza Hotel Palafox 34 976 23 77 00 hotelpalafox@palafoxhoteles.com

Proyecto2

6/11/07

16:33

Pรกgina 1

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