Third Quarter by Synergias de Prensa, S.L.

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MEETINGS INDUSTRY IN SPAIN CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW SPAIN®

#8 THIRD QUARTER ‘09

WHY IN

TARRAGONA?

The capital of Catalonia’s Costa Daurada has plenty of arguments for being considered a great destination for the Meetings Industry, as its key facilities, attractions, gastronomy, and above all, its history will convince even the most selective travelers.

REPORT SPAIN, A WORLD HERITAGE PARADISE It will come as no surprise to learn Spain is the second country with the most cultural assets regarded as World Heritage Sites. With a total of forty sites, including cities, monuments and natural areas, they make a great option for organizing any type of event.

INCOMING KUONI, ADDED VALUE DMC SERVICE In a global business world, more than ever it is essential for companies to offer value-added services, especially in a firm devoted to their clients. Kuoni is a clear example of a multinational company that can operate to perfection in any country in the world, and naturally, Spain.

SPECIAL VENUES PARADORES: HAVE FUN WORKING The sheer variety and distinctiveness of the 93 Tourist Parador locations, not to mention their magnificent accommodations, provide an appealing package for the M.I., combining successful arrangements for work meetings, more-than-enjoyable surroundings and plenty of free time activities.

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EDITOR’S LETTER Many are the voices of reason who agree that periods of recession and crisis situations are a great time for at least a third of the economic-productive fabric to regenerate. When this premise is further analyzed, what appears to be true is that you don’t need to be a financial guru to know that logically, if we don’t change the methodology by ourselves, the inertia alone of such an adverse situation as this will do it for us. Indeed, one only needs to take a quick glance at history to realize it repeats itself. Each critical cycle which modern society passes through has always served as a way of weeding out industrial and professional sectors. There are even those who purport that times of crisis should be seen as a business opportunity, especially in the tertiary sector. Primarily formed by service companies and organizations, these firms must take full advantage of these times to get reorganized, give new focus to their strategies, revise techniques and methodology, and invest in training and new performance tactics. Theories are one thing, and practice is quite another. Nevertheless, allow me to say that on this occasion the two fit perfectly together. I challenge you to show me a serious company, organization or corporation whose frontline of real professionals is not undertaking such measures. And this is both logical and reasonable, as in a few months, when all shall be governed by caution and contention, there is little else worth doing if you don’t want to fall into that socioeconomic third which either regenerates or disappears. So, if this is not to be our fate, we have no other choice than to turn ourselves upside-down in order to find a better approach, new ideas, a greater degree of creativity; in other words, new solutions to face the current situation which will definitively shake off this period of economic crisis. And not only do corporations and companies have to take this medicine, but also professional organizations and associations. In this sense, Spain, a country hit especially hard by the recession, is the perfect testing ground for such measures, and there are many firms opting to make abrupt adjustments to their approach of doing business in the face of imminent demise. In the professional field, an example of the situation is served by the recent changes taking place in the Spanish Association of Destination Management Companies (DMC). It has now come to be called Spain DMCs, originating from a growing interest in fostering communications and spreading the word on what a DMC is and the added value brought by their services. According to executive director Luis Díaz, the primary objective of re-launching the association was to “help promote Spain as an operations destination for the meetings industry". Even changing its image and redesigning its web site has formed a part of a strategy to consolidate Spain’s MICE segment on the international level. Another of its objectives has been to become a mouthpiece for the associates (13 in all) into order to give voice to their demands, brandish the functions of Spain’s DMC’s both nationally and internationally, and develop new collaboration and synergy between other sector organizations and associations, not to mention underscoring the advantages of hiring a DMC company. Díaz affirms that the association’s activity “depends on how the client perceives the destination” and this is why it has shown great interest in promoting Spain and that “this gets done with a certain criteria of efficiency”. In respect to the economic crisis, Luis Díaz says it has indeed affected DMC’s in Spain, “especially as the first thing companies tend to do when faced with such a situation is analyze how to survive and see where they can cut costs, before deciding how to sell themselves in times of crisis.” Without a shadow of a doubt, these intentions are well worth served as a good example of what we have been saying from the start, reflecting nothing less than reality. JOSÉ ALARCÓN

Honorific Editor: Juan Robles • Director: José Alarcón • Technical Director: Martin Robles • Adversiting: Antonio Melchor, Roberto Teigeiro, 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, Fernando Martorell, Joan Molas, Pau Morata, Fermín Pérez, Joaquim Sagués, Ramzi Shuaibi, Santiago Soteras, André Vietor, Antonio Wangüemert. • Writers: Marta Martínez, Pau Morata, Victor Puig Vilarrubís, Jesús Díaz Gámez, Daniel Bra • Edition: Synergias de Prensa, S.L. C/ F. Pérez i Cabrero, 11-B, entlo. 8ª. E-08021 Barcelona. Tel.: +34 93 241 73 12. www.meetingsindustryinspain.com Editorial Production: Publications & Meetings Industry, S.L. • COVER PHOTO: JAG MEETINGS INDUSTRY IN SPAIN ® #8. Barcelona (Spain) 2009 • Legal Deposit: B-47.057-2007

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SUMMARY News Cover Tarragona, a delightful and historic Mediterranean city Meetings Industry

A Destination Proposal Barcelona Litoral: Conventions dock at a safe haven

Report Spain: The World Heritage Sites

Hotels Hotel Actual Functional and emblematic

Valentín Sancti Petri Where all events are possible

Wellness & Spa Grupotel Spa & Wellness The art of relaxation

Special Venues Paradores Created for enjoying work

Incoming Kuoni A worldwide DMC with local spirit

Co. Events Useful guide

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CONFORTEL TO OPEN ITS FIRST ESTABLISHMENT IN GALICIA IN 2011

onfortel Hotels, the hotel chain of the ONCE Business Corporation, will open the Confortel Coruña at the beginning of 2011, the company’s first establishment in Galicia. The new hotel, a 3-star superior with 85 rooms, will be located in the city center, specifically on Avenida de Finisterre 176, a few steps from Santa Margarita Park and very close to the city port, the convention center and Riazor Stadium. Confortel aims carve itself a market share in Spain’s provincial capitals, with the goal of becoming one of the top companies in the Spanish city market. Now located in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Zaragoza, Confortel decided to set its sights on Galicia to expand in Northern Spain. The Confortel Coruña is the company’s second opening confirmed for the next two years, as the chain also plans to open the Confortel Gran Capitán Hotel in Córdoba, a fourstar superior with 114 rooms located right in the Andalusian city’s central business and shopping district.

NUMBER OF CONGRESSES IN BARCELONA GROWS 40% IN 2008

he data for 2008 recorded by the Barcelona Convention Bureau for the meeting sector in the Ciudad Condal are positive, despite international economic hardships. The number of meetings held actually increased nearly 40% to a total of 2,482 events. Last year saw an increase of 12.6% in the number of congresses taking place in Barcelona, although this figure was not accompanied by the number of delegates, which fell 13.7%. All in all, there were 695,902 delegates traveling to the Catalan capital, which transpired in 2,833,503 overnight stays (+22%) with a direct economic impact of 1.7153 billion Euros.

VALENCIA CONVENTION CENTER REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

n 2008, the Valencia Convention Center made an even greater commitment to sustainability. It has become the first forum of these characteristics in Spain to install a photovoltaic roof, which has generated more than 130,000 Kwh of energy and stopped emitting 75,000 kg of CO2. The photovoltaic installation was by no means an isolated event; it has been the culmination of policies and actions that the convention center has taken to employ the efficient use of resources and minimize its environmental impact and maintain its general commitment towards responsible consumption. This commitment has translated into the application of several initiatives that have managed to start a downward trend in energy consumption which today has meant nearly 1,000,000 Kwh of energy savings with respect to the initial level of consumption, thus halting the emission of nearly 740,000 kg of CO2. The application of efficiency energy policies has also incurred economic profits of more than 94,000 € a year. When taking a longer view, the figure has meant savings of nearly 700,000 € since the policies were put into practice.

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THIRD ASSEMBLY OF MEETINGS TOURISM INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS IN BAIX LLOBREGAT

SPANISH ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS CENTERS HOLD 10TH CONGRESS

he Spanish Association of Business Centers held on May 22-23 the 10th National Congress of Business Centers at the Madrid Towers Hotel. With the presence of more than 150 professionals from the business-center sector, institutions and companies with professional ties to this field, the 10th Congress became a meeting point to promote the awareness and use of business centers. Furthermore, those attending were able to exchange information regarding services and products, build relationships between centers and businesses, and sign agreements between business institutions and business centers. The Congress was opened by the City of Madrid’s Deputy for the Economy and Employment, Miguel Ángel Villanueva. One of the day’s main highlights was the use of a XING Internet networking platform based on a principle of Six Degrees of Separation, which made it easy to manage and establish professional contacts.

he Baix Llobregat Tourism Consortium (Barcelona) organized its “Baix-Action Day” this past April to bring together area business people in the tourist sector and give a boost to meeting industry activities. The third assembly of its type, the event took place in the Barceló Montserrat Hotel in Sant Esteve de Sesrovires and had the aim of transmitting to professionals and businesses the importance of believing not only in themselves, but also their work, attitude and products in order to emerge from the crisis in a better position. This is why some of the headliners included Enrique Mora, author of the best-selling “Funny Pop” and member of the Top Ten Consulting Spain, or Emilio Sánchez Vicario, a Spanish tennis legend and Director of the Sánchez Academy.

AD GROUP AND NOBU SIGN CULINARY ACCORD

D Group, a company specializing in gastronomical consulting, has signed a partnership agreement with Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s famous Nobu restaurant chain. This agreement means AD Group will become the chain’s partner for all culinary activities it carries out in Spain. AD Group has a special gastronomic marketing division that consults directly with more than 200 hotels and restaurants spread over four continents, not to mention handling important national and international gastronomical events. As for Nobu, the chain is owned by one of the most highly acclaimed chefs in the world, the JapaneseWestern fusion guru, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa. The chain has around twenty restaurants dotted around the globe, and its partners include film and fashion personalities such as Robert de Niro or Giorgio Armani. The working relationship between AD Group and Nobu indeed dates from 2007, the year when they began holding joint ventures, and the positive experience has blossomed into the current partnership agreement.

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CONVENTION CENTER OF THE CANARIES CLOSES OUT 2008 WITH 52% JUMP IN PROFITS

he Convention Center of the Canaries held a total of 276 events in 2008, increasing the number of congresses by 13%, exactly the same percentage as its customer satisfaction index. This likewise has meant an increase in profits of 52% in respect to 2007, with a 270,000Euro surplus. Of the 276 events held here last year, 167 were meetings in the economic-business, medical, technological and university sectors, while 109 were cultural acts, to which a total of 172,000 people attended. The Center plans not only to start an ambitious expansion plan, which will begin by enlarging the actual exhibition space, but also build a new hall with room for 600 people, which will strengthen the image of the capital of Grand Canary Island in national and international convention markets.

ntonio Catalán, President of the AC Hotel chain, has been honored by the nation of Italy for his ongoing collaboration with the country’s state institutions, the company’s significant investments made in Italy and his contribution towards developing good economic ties between Spain and Italy. The award reflects the country’s recognition of his prominence as a grand businessman. In the words of Antonio Catalán himself, “it is an authentic honor for me to receive such acknowledgment from the Italian people. I feel both proud and enormously grateful. Italy is a very beloved and important country for our chain. It is the second country, after Spain, in the number of hotels, with ten establishments. Thus we could easily say Italy is our second home”.

PRESIDENT OF AC HOTELS AWARDED IN ITALY

THE LATEST DETAILS ON THE OPENING OF THE PORTAVENTURA CONVENTION CENTRE

t the beginning of October, the doors will open on the PortAventura Convention Centre, right next to the amusement park with the same name in Salou (Tarragona). This 14,500-m2 multi-room facility can welcome more than 4,000 people in flexible rooms for thirty to five hundred guests where all types of events can be held, from congresses and conventions to seminars and banquets. Last June, one month from the end of construction, a guided tour was made through the convention center facilities, so one could see how perfect the location of the center is, and the comfort it will have. One of the keys to the PortAventura Convention Centre is its clever use of the latest technology available, making every room in the complex a multipurpose one. Each is provided with the latest technical advances that can make any initiative come off as desired. Another of its pillars is sustainability, as the entire complex has been built using the most ecologically-friendly materials possible, plus the center is entirely soundproof and thermally insulated. Another remarkable feature about the PortAventura Convention Centre is how it blends into the landscape and manages not to break the Salou coastal relief.

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AIPC CONFERENCE IN A CORUÑA INNOVATION IN TIMES OF CRISIS

The Annual AIPC Conference met in A Coruña, where more than 150 congress center directors flew in from five continents to debate over three days on how to best combat the economic crisis in the sector with a healthy dose of innovation, sustainable management and sector diversification. By Raquel Alba, photos by R.A./P.

“W

e can not afford to let the good opportunity behind every economic crisis pass us by.” This idea, expressed by Linda Yueh, professor of macroeconomics at Oxford University, in the first address to the Annual Conference of the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC), constantly hovered over the meeting, held from July 6-8 in A Coruña for more than 150 representatives of convention centers all over the world. In truth, the recession, and the way in which it can spur the congress sector toward a new business model, formed the axis for the forum of debates, workshops and speeches, whose three days saw directors swapping war stories. “We have to think of strategies to cope with this confusing economic situation,” underscored Edgart Hirt, President of the AIPC, in the opening ceremony. What is more, Hirt added that the unfavorable climate is making itself felt “more in the business convention sector than in the congress sector” and “more in the United States, Australia and Asia than in Europe.” In addition to the aforementioned Linda Yueh, other speakers taking part in the 2009 AIPC Conference included Frederik van Oene, director of the Arthur D. Little consulting firm, André Vietor, director of Viajes Iberia Congresses, Simon Anholt, expert in destination branding, and Isabella Marras, program manager for Green Meetings at the United Nations. All agreed that the message had to be adapted; a cycle had ended in the world meeting industry, and in the new phase, innovation, sustainable management and diversification would play key roles. At the conference closure, Enrique Pena, director of the A Coruña Convention Centre and Exhibition Hall (PALEXCO), insisted in his “pride” of having been the host of such an event and announced that the next challenge ahead for his team would be hosting the World Congress of Semiotics, with over 1000 participants and such headliners as Noam Chomsky and Umberto Ecco.

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STAR CLIPPERS SETS SIGHTS ON THE SPANISH MARKET

he top-end sailboat company Star Clippers has defined Spain as one of the most important markets in the next few years. This is why it has printed up brochures in Spanish for tourist packages running from May 2009 to April 2010. The flagship of the fleet is the royal Clipper, the largest tall ship in the world. The vessel can accommodate up to 227 passengers on board its 134-meter length and 1,800-m2 deck as it sails the Caribbean and Western Mediterranean. On the other hand, the twin ships the Star Clipper and the Star Flyer, with capacity for 170 passengers and 115-meter length, set sail for the Eastern Mediterranean/Southeast Asia, and French Polynesia, respectively. Star Clipper ships are an exclusive option well-suited to business tourism and incentive trips. The dining rooms of all three vessels can be set up for any type of meeting, as they come installed with screens, video systems and projectors. The Royal Clipper also has a 50-seat conference room. The incentive trip activities related to the world of water are many and varied, from sailing, navigation and waterskiing lessons to scuba diving and freediving.

MURCIA CONGRESS BUREAU ENDS 2008 WITH GREAT NUMBERS

usiness traveling has netted some great results in Murcia for 2008, as shown in a study presented by the city’s congress bureau. In 2008, a total of 1,008 meetings were held in Murcia, with attendance reaching 127,120 people, and consequently generating 46.7 million Euros in the city. Of the meetings held here, 55 were congresses with a total participation of 17,275 delegates, 212 were conventions with an attendance of 21,170 people and the rest being workdays, seminars and symposiums with the participation of 88,675 delegates. As for the location of these meetings, 56.75% were held in hotel halls and meeting rooms, representing 34.85% of the total in attendance, while 12% of meetings took place at the Víctor Villegas Auditorium and the Convention Center, concentrating 39.85% of the total attendees. The remaining was shared between the university and other halls in the city, whose number of participants totaled 25.31 %. Finally, the city of Murcia as a whole also obtained good marks with a high global average concerning the quality of the city’s cultural sights and the amiability of its citizens, with the entertainment and leisure facilities also scoring high marks. On the other hand, lower marks were registered in public transport, signage and the quality-price ratio, both at shops and restaurants.

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NAVARRA ENCOURAGES TOURISM WITH DISCOUNTS AND FREE TICKETS

he Navarra Autonomous Government has spurred an initiative to promote tourism in the region by financing visits to museums, churches, monasteries, excursions and tours of all kinds. In this way, tourists coming to Navarra from mid-June to the end of the year, for example, can save at least 25 Euros over a two-day period. These measures include free entry to a majority of the region’s tourist and cultural sights as well as discounts on outdoor activities.

VILANOVA GRAND MARINA BARCELONA OPENS ITS DOCKS

new marina specialized in super and mega-yachts, the Vilanova Grand Marina – Barcelona, has begun mooring its first vessels, coinciding with the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Spain. The great ships principally hailed from Great Britain and Monaco, among them a 60-meter yacht. They chose the marina to serve as a base for enjoying the competition and making use of the exclusive services that the Vilanova Grand Marina - Barcelona had to offer, including helicopter shuttling from the port of Vilanova to the track, the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló. One of the most advanced in Europe, this is the first marina in the Western Mediterranean to be specifically conceived and designed to moor and fully service super-yachts and mega-yachts. With an initial investment of 33 million Euros and after a construction period of just over two years, the marina opened its docks last April with the mission of becoming a lighthouse beacon for the world’s nautical elite. There are 49 moorings 25 to 80 meters long and all the necessary services for attending captains, ship-owners and crew, both in terms of nautical equipment as well as any onshore needs they may require.

SITGES HOSTS THE REAL CORP INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

rom April 22-24, the Sitges Design Center hosted the Real Corp 14th International Conference on Urban Planning and Regional Development in the Information Society GeoMultimedia 2009. After 13 years in Vienna, the Real Corp Conference changed its Austrian setting for Sitges, as the city is a pioneer in the study of future urban planning. Other draws were the quality facilities, such as the Sitges Design Center, the predisposition and collaboration of the City of Sitges, and the logistics provided by the Sitges Convention Bureau, not to mention its proximity to Barcelona. The slogan of the conference was “Cities 3.0; smart, sustainable integrative; strategies, concepts and technologies for planning the urban future”. The intention was that the future perspective of cities rested on surpassing three problems: climate change, current globalization and demographic changes. On the other hand, the Tourism Promotion Agency of Sitges signed an agreement with the Hotel Association of Sitges and the Hotels de Sempre Group to give the newly rejuve-

nated group a boost after years of inactivity. Under the umbrella association, Gremi d’Hostaleria de Sitges, the Hotels de Sempre brings a total of 20 hotels with 1, 2 and 3 stars, meaning more than 900 guestrooms, or nearly 2000 beds. One of the special features of this space is its superb location, plus a view of the sea, natural light and access to the many resort hotels and golf courses designed by the famous Australian golfer, Greg Norman. And all this right next to the PortAventura Amusement Park.

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Tarr A DELIGHTFUL AND HISTORIC MEDITERRANEAN CITY MEETINGS INDUSTRY Coastal cities are often taken to be the ideal location for holding business meetings and incentives due to their excellent climate and attraction for the sea. Be that as it may but why should we choose Tarragona? The reasons for this are numerous and varied: exceptional conference facilities, excellent hotel infrastructure, first-rate trading and business activities… and that’s not forgetting the one thing exclusive to this city, Tarragona is a World Heritage Site. By EDITORIAL Photos PATRONAT MUNICIPAL DE TURISME DE TARRAGONA

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agona

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ar beyond what many coastal towns or cities can offer, Tarragona has the advantage of being a reasonable sized city right on the Mediterranean. This not only makes Tarragona the perfect place to hold any of those crucial high-level business meetings but, also the ideal place to enjoy the benefits to be had from this being a coastal resort, with a superb climate and excellent facilities and services designed to meet even the greatest demands of those on business trips. Not only does Tarragona effectively meet all of these requirements but another factor, exclusive to this city, is that of its important Roman heritage. This lively and agreeable city has been in the habit of preserving the stone built artefacts which still bear witness to the magnificent splendour enjoyed by the legendary city of Tarraco from the 1st to the 2nd century BC. In Roman times Tarraco was the capital of Hispania and home of the emperor Augustus between the years 27 and 25 BC and proof of the city’s importance not only as a military but also political and cultural base, are the remains of ancient monuments dating back to that time, prime examples of which are the impressive city walls and the magnificent amphitheatre.

ambience, leaving the attention to be focussed on the stage. The centre received great recognition for its excellent services in 2004 when it was awarded the title of Spain’s Best Congress Centre by the Spanish Association of Professional Congress Organisiers. Beside the Centre is the Recinte Firal (Exhibition Site), a 2.100 useful m2 building, ideal for holding trade fairs, shows, corporate lunches and gala dinners (1,500 people). The site is surrounded by 3,275 m2 of open space which can be used as a car park space.

Excellent hotel infrastructure The Congress Centre is also complemented by an excellent hotel infrastructure, equally as regards accommodation facilities for those on business trips as the availability of relatively smaller rooms for business meetings and the like. With a number of first-rate national hotel chains established in the city, Tarragona enjoys a wide range of excellent, mainly 4 star, hotels offering to their visitors more than 950 rooms.

Tailor-made incentives A congress centre in the Roman heart of the city. Crowned by a roman wall and overlooking the Mediterranean, the hillside city of Tarragona provides a unique location for all type of events. It’s not for nothing that with such a great historic legacy the city of Tarragona came to be classed as a World Heritage Site in the year 2000. Just a stone’s throw away from these archaeological remains is The Tarragona Trade Fair and Congress Centre, the city’s main centre for hosting major conferences and business meetings. The building, which tastefully encompasses both traditional and modern design, includes two auditoriums and 11 meeting rooms. The most impressive of the conference facilities is, without a doubt, the August Auditorium, not only for seating 1,145, but also for its sculpted natural stone wall. Some substantial yet elegant arches rise above the stone wall to give the auditorium a spacious yet relaxing

Whether on terra firma or out at sea, Tarragona also offers a wide selection of tailor-made group incentives and activities to suit all tastes, anything from a peaceful day’s golf on any one of the city’s seven local golf courses to a thrilling experience at one of the country’s most famous theme parks, PortAventura. Tarragona’s pleasant all year round temperatures make this the ideal place for those open air incentives designed to strengthen team bonds whilst making the most of the local sunshine and sea breeze. Whether on horseback or on board a yacht, it’s always a pleasure to enjoy Tarragona’s mild climate and superb local landscapes. Having said that, not all the incentives are dependant upon the sun. One such example is the local speleological association or Sociedad de Investigaciones Espeleológicas which organizes interesting and unique guided tours through a cavern beneath the city of Tarragona, a tourist attraction unknown to many.

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Another local interest, not just associated with time, is that of wine, one of the area’s greatest local products. Many companies and agencies organize wine-tasting and guided visits to the region’s main vineyards which come under the Denominación de Origen de Tarragona, which signifies the product to be from a certain region and to comply with certain quality standards, in this case, Priorato, Montsant and Terra Alta.

Facilities at the Congress Centre include two auditoriums and 11 meeting rooms.

Land and sea gastronomically united One of the topics which undoubtedly makes Tarragona a unique destination is that of gastronomy. The local cuisine expertly combines the best of the sea with the best of the land, as always with great importance placed on the use of excellent quality local products. One of the region’s most typical dishes is based upon “romesco”, a sauce made from ground almonds and hazelnuts mixed with red peppers and olive oil and served as a tasty accompaniment to fresh fish. Other local fish dishes include “zarzuela”, a rich seafood stew based on fish and shellfish, and “fideuá”, the finest seafood cooked with vermicelli and served with “alioli”, the local garlic and olive oil sauce. That’s not without mentioning the region’s highly abundant, tasty and healthy, oily fish, which requires no more than a good barbecue to bring out the taste.

And naturally, all of these culinary delights can be washed down with some of the region’s finest locally produced wines. From subtle fruity whites to full bodied reds, not forgetting the delicate unfermented wines or “misteles” and other sweet wines, perfect with desserts. Another local feature well worth bearing in mind when it comes to leisure activities and incentives is the city’s marina with a good selection of restaurants, bars and other facilities, the perfect place to relax and make the most of free time. Aside from this the marina also provides the best opportunities to become familiar with the sea and enjoy the benefits of Mediterranean waters, which, here on the Costa Dorada, includes more than pleasant temperatures for bathers, especially for those not particularly fond of the colder rushing waters to be found on rockier coastlines.

THE WALLS OF TARRAGONA The splendours of the Roman walls which still represent the city’s most distinguishing feature are praised in a well known song: “The walls, the walls of Tarragona, an imposing settlement which conveys both splendour and spirit”. The meandering wall encircling the city’s precious Roman legacy have come to represent one of the city’s major sights. This wall was in fact the first construction to be built by the Romans in what was strategically an excellent location, this also being their military settlement. Between the years 217 and 197 BC, what amounted to the Roman Empire’s most powerful army in the Mediterranean laid the very first stone and continued until 125 BC when the wall was finally finished and made its way around the entire city and right to the port. This ancient Roman wall varies in height with some of the sections up to 6 metres high with the watchtowers even higher, three of which are still standing today: The Arquebisbe, the Cabiscol and the Minerva. Concerning the width of the wall, in some places this amounts to more than four and a half metres.

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A Destination Proposal

Conventions dock at a safe haven

Change the gray tones of the office for a balcony with a Mediterranean view. With this idea in mind, the Barcelona coast has become one of the favorite ports of call for congresses, conventions and events, as the city has all the infrastructure to match: the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB), the Olympic Port, and the World Trade Center in the Ciudad Condal’s Old Port, not to mention the convention-hotel facilities found in the city of Sitges – all making the perfect setting. If to these Spanish locations one adds all the appeal of the Mediterranean and excellent culinary options, the well-shaken congress cocktail is served. By RAQUEL ALBA

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A Destination Proposal

he American painter Robert Henri used to say that the sea had the virtue of “making us think about things we like to think about”. In step with this philosophy, painting congresses and conventions in this blue frame can help bring out positive thinking, a proactive spirit and a why-not attitude to these meetings. This is how plenty of companies have come to understand it, as do Microsoft and Hewlett Packard, who have chosen the Barcelona coast for their international events year after year. It is no wonder that the Ciudad Condal sits in third place in the annual ranking for international congresses, as determined by the International Association of Congresses and Conventions.

In BCN, nothing but advantages Barcelona features two congress and convention centers right at the water’s edge: the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB) located in the Forum, with capacity for 15,000 and blessed with spectacular architectural lines drawn by the Swiss firm Herzog and De Meuron, as well as the World Trade Center in the Old Port. “Our competitive edge lies in the fact that the center is located on the sea right in the city of Barcelona”, notes Carlos Sánchez Caballero, the CCIB Sales and Marketing Manager, who also underscores the truth that “most centers are located outside the downtown area”. The CCIB also happens to be the second-largest convention centre in Europe and the largest in the Mediterranean, extending over nearly 100,000 m2. Surrounded by hotels facilities with “more than 2,500 bedrooms”, its characteristic blue facade is spliced by mirrored slivers that reflect the sky back down to the ground. Last year the CCIB accommodated 87 events, corporate congresses and conventions. As Sánchez Caballero as tells it, after getting past “the economic pothole caused by this year’s crisis,” in future years the Centre hopes to reach “an annual turnover of 30 million Euros”. Another of the CCIB’s advantages is the Olympic Port; just a stone’s throw away is one of the Ciudad Condal’s most exciting restaurant and entertainment districts. With 19 restaurants, eight bars and nine night-

If to these Spanish locations one adds all the appeal of the Mediterranean and excellent culinary options, the well-shaken congress cocktail is served. clubs, the Port has something for everyone. “Meat or fish, rice or pasta, there’s something for everyone in the port,” says Joan Guitart, Port Captain. Among its culinary delights is found in the luxurious Hotel Arts, the restaurant Arola run by Barcelona chef Sergi Arola, whose star dish is his famous “patatas bravas”. The restaurant’s spacious terrace overlooking the sea is the perfect spot for relaxing after a day of meetings and conferences. Nor should one pass up the exquisite Napolitano delights of Il Passatore (tel. 93 221 27 01) or the killer seafood at El Cangrejo Loco (tel. 93 221 05 33) or El Rey de la Gamba (tel. 93 221 00 12), two of the longest-running establishments in the city. The port is also hopping with nightspots, as when the black curtain falls, the lights of its bars and discotheques are turned up. A sea of

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The World Trade Center of Barcelona (WTCB), a few paces from the Olympic Port to the south, is the other grand alternative for congresses right.

CONGRESSES AND CONVENTIONS WITH A VIEW AND THE LURE OF ARCHITECTURE The sea is an ineludible attraction that companies cannot pass up when planning their congresses, events, and conventions. In addition to the views of the deep blue, two of the latest generation of architectural vessels can be found in the International Convention Center of Barcelona (CCIB) and the World Trade Center of Barcelona (WTCB). The CCIB is an oeuvre from the Swiss architects Herzog and De Meuron, creators of the famous Allianz Arena in Munich and the CaixaForum in Madrid. As for the World Trade Center of Barcelona, it was designed by the New York architecture firm of Pei Cob Fred & Partners, authors of the famous glass pyramid welcoming visitors to the Louvre Museum.

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A Destination Proposal

possibilities opens; hop over the Irish pub Kennedy (tel. 93 221 00 39) with live music, shake your hips to the salsa beats of Ipanema (tel, 34.93 221 11 77) or try your luck at the Barcelona Casino (tel. 932 257 878), just some of the many options.

High-flying meetings at the water’s edge Without having to leave the confines of the Olympic Port, we discover a captivating new option for holding meetings on the waterfront, this time with a bird’s eye view. Beginning in September, the aforementioned Hotel Arts will accommodate a unique 1,000-m2 space 150 meters off the ground on its 40th and 41st floors, perfectly outfitted for hosting conferences, congresses and all types of business meetings or private gatherings. This brand new offer, superb for draping meetings in a certain cosmopolitan yet exclusive air, joins the existing facilities the hotel has possessed ever since opening its doors in 1992, not to mention its extensive experience in events organization. As Rosemary Trigg explains, the head of the Arts’ Press Office, “Here all kinds of acts can be arranged, from a product launching or a board meeting to an openair dinner or a sophisticated montage in the Gran Saló Gaudí”. The World Trade Center of Barcelona (WTCB), a few paces from the Olympic Port to the south, is the other grand alternative for congresses right in the city where the waves of the Mediterranean wash ashore. With 40,000 m2 of office space (the center is the headquarters for 100 companies and 25 shops) and 6,000 m2 exclusively devoted to congress and convention space, the WTC has become one of the new icons of Port Vell. Distinguishing marks? “The WTCB stands out for its remarkable architecture, an oeuvre of Pei Cob Fred & Partners, and a thoroughly seductive location at the water’s edge, the foot of the Ramblas, and in clear sight of the port.” explains Francisco Ruiz Mañas, Associate General Manager for Management and Services at Trade Center Inc., who adds, “we also have flexible spaces bathed in natural light”. Last year, the WTCB set the stage for over 400 acts. Ruiz Mañas makes mention of one of them, the christening of the Ericsson 3, one of the two sailboats berthed by the Swedish multinational in the Volvo Ocean Race. “This event brought in around 1,500 people,” he points out. The WTCB is surrounded by a wide range of hotel options, highlighted by the luxurious Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel, the nearest to the convention center, What is more, the center rises just a few steps from Maremagnum, an entertainment complex with cinemas, 53 shops, ten restaurants which welcomed over 13 million visitors last year and has become one of the favorite spots for Barcelonans to take a stroll or relax on a bench and watch how day gives way to the night.

Hotel Arts will accommodate a unique 1.000 m2 space 150 meters off the ground on its 40th and 41st floors, perfectly outfitted for hosting conferences, congresses and all types of business meetings or private gatherings.

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Is how plenty of companies have come to understand it, as do Microsoft and Hewlett Packard, who have chosen the Barcelona coast for their international events year after year.

NEW SPACES TO GATHER AT THE WATER’S EDGE With the opening of the Hotel W Barcelona next October, the first of the Starwood line in Western Europe, Barcelona will have a new center for meetings and events, as the establishment will devote 2.500 m2 of ultramodern space with sea views. Likewise, the Hotel Arts will convert its 40th and 41st floors, set at 150 meters above the ground, into 1,000 m2 outfitted to host conferences, congresses and all types of business meetings or private gatherings.

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The latest option in Barcelona It is well-worth mentioning next October’s inauguration of the hotel W Barcelona, the first in the Starwood line to disembark in Western Europe. Designed by Ricardo Bofill and popularly known as “Hotel Vela (the Sail Hotel)” as its profile recalls that of a sail being puffed up by the wind, the hotel rises near the new entrance to the Port of Barcelona. The W itself will become a center for meetings and events, as it will devote 2,500 m2 of ultramodern space with sea views for this very purpose. Undoubtedly, its distinctive architecture will turn it into one of the symbols of the Ciudad Condal in the coming years, following the trail blazed by Jean Nouvel’s Agbar Tower, without which it would be hard to imagine the skyline of Barcelona today.

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Sitges Convention Bureau, Sitges not only brings “adaptable congress and hotel facilities to every event,” but also all the advantages of “culinary options to please of the most discerning palates, a superb climate and an impressive cultural landscape.

Sitges, the power of seduction All the same, congresses do not feed on the city of Barcelona alone. Apart from the Ciudad Condal, the Barcelona coast offers a wide range of possibilities for holding congresses with the views of the Mediterranean as a backdrop. One of the most appealing is Sitges which, just 20 minutes from Barcelona, today is waking up from its art-nouveau, turn-of-the century dream and stamping a reputation as a party town, placing itself squarely on the map of international nightspots. The congress facilities in Sitges are split between those at the Convention Center and the Melià Hotel of Sitges (with 4,000 m2 of halls and an auditorium which can hold up to 1,380 people) and the Dolce Sitges Hotel (with 2,175 m2 intended for meetings, 24 conference rooms and an amphitheatre with capacity for 60). When considering the Dolce Sitges Hotel, a luxury establishment whose meetings and events segment represents 75% of its total business volume, “despite the economic crisis, the perspectives of growth remain quite high”. This is how the hotel manager Francisco Jiménez sees it, who affirms the establishment, with impressive views over the Mediterranean, has consolidated itself as “a conference and meeting destination that aims to maintain and enhance its reputation for offering the facilities, staff and support that clients deserve”. For María Sánchez, the manager of the Sitges Convention Bureau, Sitges not only brings “adaptable congress and hotel facilities to every event,” but also all the advantages of “culinary options to please of the most discerning palates, a superb climate and an impressive cultural landscape”. All this has Sitges clinging onto the silver medal and becoming “the top business travel destination in Catalonia after Barcelona”, as María Sánchez will attest. Due to the poor results in 2008 (the total number of meetings dropped 15% in respect to the previous year thanks to the economic crisis), the head of the Sitges Convention Bureau decided to reorient its strategy and focus on “promoting on the national level and in nearby markets”. Nevertheless, she remains convinced that, once the stagnant economic clouds have lifted and the most ominous of the bad previsions has been dispelled, the situation will continue to improve for the sectors organizing events, congresses and conventions in Sitges. The lure of the sea plays to the favor of this city tucked in the Garraf Hills. Because who has not dreamt of having a workplace within plain sight of the rushing waves?

Next October’s inauguration of the hotel W Barcelona, designed by Ricardo Bofill.

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Report

Spain The World Heritage Sites By Víctor Puig Vilarrubís Photos JAG

Spain is the second country with the most cultural assets regarded as World Heritage Sites. A total of forty sites, including cities, monuments, natural areas and enclaves of particular beauty, form part of this distinguished list determined by UNESCO, so it is by no means difficult to find somewhere in our country that is both equipped with infrastructure for MICE and near a World Heritage Site.

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Report Spain: The World Heritage Sites

here are currently more than 870 official World Heritage Sites spread over 145 different nations. The country with the most sites is Italy, closely followed by Spain. The autonomous regions with the most World Heritage Sites are Castile and León (7), Catalonia (6) and Andalusia (6).

Castile and León Castile and León is the autonomous region with the most cultural assets determined to be World Heritage Sites. All in all, there are seven sites: the spectacular Gothic Cathedral of Burgos, and a few kilometres away, the paleontological site of Atapuerca has also been classed as a World Heritage Site, as a great number of human fossil dating over 100,000 years have been discovered. Other outstanding heritage sites in the region of Castile and Leon are found in Ávila’s Old Town, Segovia’s Old Town and its Aqueduct, Salamanca’s Old Town, and the spectacular natural landscape of Las Médulas near Ponferrada. Castile-León not only stands out for having so many World Heritage Sites, but also for its MICE facilities, with the Atapuerca Convention Centre in the centre of Burgos, or the Castile and Leon Convention Centre in Salamanca being the principal options.

World Heritage Sites: Outstanding MICE Facilities: Excellent

Catalonia Catalonia, with its capital Barcelona and all the architecture Gaudí created, makes a substantial addition to our World Heritage Sites.

Under the title of “The Works of Gaudi”, UNESCO highlights seven masterpieces from the ingenious architect, including the Sagrada Familia, the Casa Batlló, the Casa Milà and Park Güell. But in Catalonia there are other points of interest classed as World Heritage Sites: the Poblet Monastery, Lluís Domènech i Montaner’s Palau de la Música and Hospital de Sant Pau, the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarragona, and the Romanesque churches found in the Boi Valley in the province of Lleida. Regarding MICE facilities, Catalonia has an astonishing array of possibilities available for all types of meetings, congresses and events, from the Barcelona Fairgrounds to Girona’s Convention Centre.

World Heritage Sites: Outstanding MICE Facilities: Outstanding

UNESCO highlights seven masterpieces from Gaudi, including the Sagrada Familia, the Casa Batlló, the Casa Milà and Park Güell.

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Report Spain: The World Heritage Sites

The Alhambra and Generalife in Granada built between the 13th and 14th centuries have been considered on more than one occasion to be one of the Wonders of the World. Andalusia The diverse and captivating region of Andalusia has several enclaves deemed World Heritage Sites: the Alhambra and Generalife in Granada built between the 13th and 14th centuries have been considered on more than one occasion to be one of the Wonders of the World, not to mention Cordoba’s Historic Centre with all its Arabic past to be discovered in its streets, the Cathedral, and the Alcazar, or Seville’s Archive of the Indies. Another site, the Doñana National Park with 27,000 hectares, takes in Europe’s largest wetland area. In terms of MICE, there are several cities with the proper equipment for meetings and conventions, such as the capital Seville, with its Conventions and Exhibition Centre, or Malaga, with its Convention Centre and Fairgrounds.

World Heritage Sites: Outstanding MICE Facilities: Excellent

Madrid The Community of Madrid stands out for three spots considered World Heritage Sites: The 15th-century Monastery of Escorial, the Uni-

versity and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares included in 1998, and the Aranjuez Cultural Landscape. With the naming of the Aranjuez, UNESCO pays homage to the fact that in Aranjuez, the intervention of mankind in nature has not just meant its destruction, but also has helped towards the conservation and enrichment of the natural environment. The MICE-equipped infrastructure in the Community of Madrid features all kinds of options both in and around the capital, from the Madrid Fairgrounds to the soon to be opened City of Madrid International Convention Centre.

World Heritage Sites: Excellent MICE Facilities: Excellent

Castile-La Mancha Castile-La Mancha has two World Heritage Sites: the Historic City of Toledo, whose walls enclose several different types of architecture, such as the Mudéjar Santiago del Arrabal Church or the Toledo Gothic Cathedral. The Historic Walled City

of Cuenca, with its Moorish-era walls is the pther World Heritage Site in Castile-La Mancha. In terms of facilities for meetings and conventions, Castile-La Mancha will have a new centre starting in 2010 with the inauguration of the Toledo Convention Centre. The region also features the Albacete Convention Centre, in addition to other MICE facilities.

World Heritage Sites: Excellent MICE Facilities: Excellent

Galicia The latest addition to Spain’s World Heritage Sites is the Tower of Hercules in A Coruña. Besides this newest member, Galicia adds two other fantastic sites: the Old Town of Santiago de Compostela for its Cathedral and the fact it is the end of the Camino de Santiago, considered a World Heritage Site in its own rite. The remaining site is the city of Lugo’s Roman Wall, whose two-kilometre length borders the old city centre.

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THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE In 1972, the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization, UNESCO, decided to create a list to catalogue, preserve and recognize sites with cultural importance or natural exceptionality. To do this, every year the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meets to decide on new additions, but also to strike some from the list if their conservation conditions are not being met. Some of the most important evaluative criteria used by UNESCO before it include a new site on its prestigious list are whether the site is an example of a significant stage in human history, it contains areas of exceptional natural beauty, or it represents a masterpiece of human ingenuity. There are currently over eight hundred and sixty World Heritage Sites, with more than seven hundred fifty cultural sites, over one hundred fifty natural sites and around twenty mixed sites.

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Report Spain: The World Heritage Sites

The Lonja de Seda of Valencia from the 16th century constitutes one of the most representative civil constructions in the European Gothic style.

Galicia has many possibilities for business trips and meetings with facilities such as the Convention Centre and Exhibition Hall of Galicia in Santiago de Compostela or the Convention Centre and Exhibition Hall of A Coruña.

World Heritage Sites: Excellent MICE Facilities: Excellent

Extremadura The region of Extremadura features three World Heritage Sites: the Santa María de Guadalupe Monastery built between the 13th and 18th centuries, the Old City of Cáceres, and the Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida with its Roman theatre dating from 15 BC and amphitheatre from 8 BC. Extremadura has convention centres in Badajoz and Cáceres, two top-notch facilities for all types of meetings and congresses.

World Heritage Sites: Excellent MICE Facilities: Excellent

Valencia The Community of Valencia also enjoys a variety of cultural assets considered World Heritage Sites. In the capital, the Lonja de Seda of Valencia from the 16th century constitutes one of the most representative civil constructions in the European Gothic style. In the southern part of the region, the impressive Palmeral of Elche spreads over 1,617,000 square metres with more than 200,000 palm trees. The Community of Valencia features a wide variety of MICE facilities. In terms of convention centres, for example, there is the excellent Valencia Convention Centre and the Castellón Auditorium/Convention Centre, while this

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The Santiago de Compostela’s old town and its Cathedral is the end of the Camino de Santiago. same city will soon open the Castellón Convention Centre. On the other hand, the city of Alicante will christen another convention centre in 2010.

World Heritage Sites: Excellent MICE Facilities: Outstanding

The Canary Islands The Canary Islands have many attractions, and one of them is their natural beauty and variety, so it is not surprising that two of their World Heritage Sites are nature reserves: the Teide National Park on Santa Cruz de Tenerife obviously features El Teide, Spain’s highest peak at 3,718 metros, and the Garajonay National Park, located on the island of Gomera, which stands out for its laurel forest, a plant species now extinct in Europe. The third World Heritage Site on the Canary Islands is found in the northern half of the island of Tenerife in the city of San Cristóbal de la Laguna, considered to be an archetypical colonial city. The Canary Islands feature the Pirámide de Arona Convention Centre in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, an essential facility for organizing all types of meetings and conventions. To this one must add the area’s large hotel capacity which allows any type of event to be held, no matter how large it may be.

World Heritage Sites: Excellent MICE Facilities: Excellent

THE TOWER OF HERCULES, THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE LIST The Tower of Hercules in A Coruña, over 2,000 years old, is the oldest working Roman lighthouse in history. Now a World Heritage Site, it became the 40th of Spain’s cultural jewels on the list. Its inclusion was unanimously declared at the latest meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Seville at the end of June, 2009. Other additions which were given the green light are the Dolomites in the Italian Alps, the Wadden Sea located between Germany and Holland, Mount Wutai in Northern China, Stoclet House in Brussels, “Ciudade Velha”, the colonial city of Ribeira Grande on Cape Verde, and the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in the Philippines, among others.

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Hotels

HOTEL ACTUAL FUNCTIONAL AND EMBLEMATIC The Actual enjoys an enviable situation in the same block as the Pedrera, and eight rooms boasting views of the emblematic Gaudí building.

eing located next to the Paseo de Gracia is the greatest advertising for a hotel in Barcelona. The Actual Hotel enjoys an enviable situation on the corner of Calle Rosselló and Paseo de Gracia, in the same block as the Pedrera, and has eight rooms boasting views of the emblematic Gaudí building. It is a small and cosy hotel, opened in 2002 with just 36 rooms, all fully equipped. One of the characteristics of these rooms is that all of the furnishings are highly functional and cared for. This is easy

to understand if one takes into account that the entire setting comes from the former house of decoration Gimeno 102, a wellknown and highly respected store in Barcelona that closed its doors at the start of the 21st Century and on whose very same site this hotel is now standing. One of the pearls of the Actual Hotel are its four spacious junior suites with views of Paseo de Gracia, two of which retain the original ceilings of the Gimeno 102 house with paintings of classical Greek scenes that give bold-

ness to the room alongside the minimalist and absolutely up-to-date furnishings. In addition, all the rooms have a fully equipped bathroom, mini-bar and plasma television, as well as total Wi-Fi coverage.

Hotel Actual C/ Rosselló, 238. E-08008 Barcelona Tel.: +34 93 552 05 50 www.lugaresdivinos.com

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One of the pearls of the Actual Hotel are its four spacious junior suites with views of Paseo de Gracia.

Rooms/Prices: 32/ 128-153 € Suites/Prices: 4/ 175-245 € Breakfast: 13 €

Services: Wi-Fi coverage, rooms for smokers, international TV, small dogs allowed.

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Hotels

VALENTÍN SANCTI PETRI WHERE ALL EVENTS ARE POSSIBLE Meticulous rooms designed down to the last detail, the largest convention center in Cadiz and a legendary beach just a few steps away. The Valentín Sancti Petri HotelSpa has all the attributes for arranging events with success absolutely guaranteed.

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The hotel has the largest convention center in Cádiz.

he surrounding area is one of the key factors when measuring the success of a particular event. The Valentín Sancti Petri Hotel-Spa & Convention Center, a spotless four-star resort located on Cadiz’s legendary Costa de la Luz, complies with all the requisites for being the stage of an unforgettable presentation or meeting. Just 25 minutes from Cadiz and 40 from Jerez Airport, the Valentín Novo Sancti Petri Hotel has 549 modern rooms, 82 of them Junior Suites, and is located in the Novo Sancti Petri Vacation Resort in Chiclana de la Frontera, in one of the most captivating settings on the Cadiz coast: La Barrosa Beach. In addition to this superb location and easy access, the hotel offers the most sophisticated services and facilities to guarantee a successful event: spacious terraces to take in the sunset, bars to relax and enjoy a refreshing drink, 30,000 m2 of gardens, a heated pool and a Wellness Spa with treatments to pamper both mind and body.

A convention center Another reason why the Valentín Novo Sancti Petri can purport to be the perfect spot for

holding congresses, conventions and incentive trips is the fact it offers the largest convention center in the province of Cadiz. The center occupies 2,000 m2, distributed in eight diaphanous halls with high ceilings and natural light, able to host meetings from 15 to 1800 people. Among the many halls found in the hotel, the Gran Sala Doñana clearly stands out with more than 1000 m2 and a completely wood-paneled ceiling. In addition to providing ideal meeting space, the Valentín Sancti Petri offers the possibility for arranging teambuilding activities such as beach games, regattas, and golf or social events such as outdoor galas, parties and cocktails.

An ample client portfolio Such attributes, perfect for organizing events, have brought many a company to trust in the Valentín Sancti Petri when hosting their events. The hotel’s portfolio includes such multinational clients as Volkswagen, who chose the hotel for its International Congress drawing over 12,000 participants. Likewise, the Cadena Ser and Círculo de Lectores also requested the hotel to hold their respective national conventions, and

the Valentín Sancti Petri was also the site for the Conference on the Mediterranean, with political representatives from all countries pertaining to the alliance.

For more information: Valentín Sancti Petri Hotel-Spa & Convention Center Sales Dept: +34 956 49 10 02 mice@valentinhotels.com www.valentinsanctipetri.com

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Selección de establecimientos que suponen garantía de éxito para cualquier reunión

GRUPOTEL SPA & WELLNESS THE ART OF RELAXATION Grupotel Hotels & Resorts, the leading hotel chain in the Balearics, has launched a new line to bring together all its establishments with spa and wellness facilities.

rupotel Hotels & Resorts, the leading hotel chain in the Balearics, has strengthened its hand by launching a new line, Grupotel Spa & Wellness, dedicated to the seductive and health-minded world of spas. Seven of the 33 Grupotel establishments have joined the Grupotel Spa & Wellness. The list of the hotel members in the new line includes the Grupotel Valparaíso Palace & Spa, Grupotel Parc Natural & Spa, Grupotel Gran Vista & Spa, Grupotel Los Príncipes & Spa, Grupotel Aguait & Spa, Grupotel Playa de Palma Suites & Spa, Grupotel Nilo & Spa, Grupotel Macarella Suites & Spa and Grupotel Sta. Eularia & Spa. The common

thread uniting them all is the fact they feature impressive spas that pamper their guests in the maximum expression of “healthy mind, healthy body”.

A feast for the senses on Minorca Among the Grupotel Spa & Wellness members, the Grupotel Parc Natural & Spa shines out, as it can be found at the water’s edge of Playa de Alcudia, the beach nearest S’Albufera Natural Park, on the north side of athe island of Minorca. The establishment has completely renovated its spa and well-

ness facilities, which to date offer the latest in sauna and hydrotherapy treatments. Another outstanding member is the Grupotel Valparaiso Palace & Spa, one of the most emblematic hotels on Majorca, one frequented by celebrities and winner of several awards for the quality of its services and facilities. The Valparaiso features an impressive 2,800m2 spa which provides its guests four salons steeped in Mediterranean, Egyptian, Hindu and Chinese inspiration with a wide variety of ancestral treatments, such as sweet gommage, Mediterranean salts, Cleopatra’s famous pale blue milk bath, Ayurvedic Hindu massage and sublime Chinese wraps.

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