Costa Brava Girona Trade Week
The Girona tourism sector explores specific markets and products
MARCH 2014
One hundred professionals from the Girona tourism sector took part in a promotional and commercial initiative entitled Costa Brava Girona Trade Week, organised by the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board (of Girona Provincial Council), with the goal of assisting Girona-based companies in creating specific products to be promoted in the French, German and Russian markets. The programme included three simultaneous talks on MICE tourism, active and nature tourism, and enogastronomy.
From January to August 2013, the French market (number one international outbound market for the Costa Brava and the Pirineu de Girona) grew by 8% in respect of the number of arrivals in Catalonia, and by 27% in terms of spending. The new TGV rail links that will begin operating from 2014 will raise the profile of the destination in the French market.
As regards the German market, which has grown by 19% in Catalonia this year, the data clearly shows that the Costa Brava brand is better known than the Catalonia brand.
Josep Maria Perramon, Delegate of the Catalan Tourism Agency in the Russian Federation and countries of Eastern Europe, pointed out that in respect of Russian tourism, Catalonia is only surpassed by Turkey and Egypt, and that around 80% of Russian tourists arrive through tour operators. Russian tourism in Catalonia is forecast to grow by 20% in 2014.
A networking session was organised for the afternoon, led exclusively by members of the product marketing clubs of the Tourist Board.
Ramon Ramos, Director of the Tourist Board, stated, “We have to rejuvenate the Costa Brava brand and market ourselves as a highly diverse destination in terms of specific tourism products with a highly professional work approach; that is, creating added values to be combined with traditional sun and sand activities”.
In addition to the training day, two familiarisation trips on specific themes were organised in the area for six travel agents and tour operators.
