No 497
Monday, 25th November, 2013
Tel: 96 673 0057
MEETING THE NEW AMBASSADOR The Leader was amongst a select group of journalists invited to a reception in Benidorm with Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley CMG, when, just three weeks into his new role, he embarked on a tour of ex-pat rich areas of Spain to get a real feel for the people he will be looking after. A member of the UK’s Diplomatic Service since 1990, Manley is extremely experienced, despite his relatively young age for a diplomat, and began by explaining how his knowledge and experience is already proving vital when it comes to meeting the needs of British tourists and residents in Spain, especially those who are more vulnerable. Accompanied by the British Consul from Alicante, Paul Rodwell, the Ambassador explained how Spain is one of the most valuable countries in the world when it comes to relationships with the UK,
with “some 400 Spanish companies registered in the UK”, and “British companies exporting 9.7 billion euro worth of goods and service to Spain, making it the UK’s eighth largest export market”, and “more than 13 million Britons visiting Spain each year, plus 800,000 making the country their home, generating 1% of Spain´s GDP”. As the Spanish coastline provides one of the most tourist rich areas of the country, including the Costa Blanca and the Andalucía coastline where Manly had been earlier in the week, the importance of representing those tourists is not only vital, but self evident. In fact, the British Consul in Barcelona, Manley Explained, is the busiest in the entire network around the globe. The Ambassador continued to explain that whilst visiting Málaga, Barcelona, Alicante and Benidorm, he has been visiting numerous charity groups, local authorities, hospitals and with diplomats from the Spanish cities, looking at the areas of expertise where support is provided to British people whilst in Spain. Continued on Page 11