Mariano Rajoy announces total spending by inbound tourists in 2014 exceeded 63 billion euros

In his speech, the President of the Government expressed his gratitude both to Spanish businesses in the tourism sector and to international players that operate in our country. He also stressed that the Spanish tourism industry "is grounds for us all to feel proud" because its history is "a success story that we have not only known how to maintain, but also how to continually update".

Spanish tourism sector - record figures

Mariano Rajoy stated that talking about the tourism sector in Spain means talking about "record figures". In 2014, Spain welcomed 4.3 million more inbound tourists than the previous year, representing year-on-year growth of 7.1%. 65 million inbound tourists visited Spain in total in 2014. Furthermore, they spent more money, exceeding 63 billion euros, 6.5% up on 2013. In other words, "more are coming, they are spending more and our revenue is rising", he summarised.

According to Mariano Rajoy, "tourism is a strategic sector for the present and for the future of our economy", and hence the government's commitment to this sector is both "desired" and "obligatory". Furthermore, Mariano Rajoy, set out the "efforts" made by his government "to offer visible support to the sector": the Comprehensive Tourism Plan, the Coastal Act, the decision not to increase tourism VAT and the labour market reform.

According to the President of the Government, the tourism industry will also benefit from the new regulations being drawn up, such as the Market Unity Act. In this regard, he explained that the aim of all these actions is "to consolidate the destination of Spain as a global leader".

Tourism has opened up the path to recovery

Pool MoncloaThe President of the Government stressed that Spain holds a leading position in terms of tourist destination. "We are the second leading country in the world in terms of revenue from inbound tourism, and third in the number of inbound tourist numbers". That is as a result of the competitiveness of our companies, the safety of the country, the guarantee of public services, being in the vanguard in terms of transport and the competence of our professionals, he said.

Mariano Rajoy underlined that the tourism industry "has contributed to opening up the path to growth". That is why the companies that comprise the sector are now called upon to capitalise the new scenario of the Spanish reality; "a scenario of farewell to the crisis and of welcoming the consolidation of the recovery".

Spanish economy will grow by more than 2% in 2015

In this regard, Mariano Rajoy pointed out that Spain has gone "from being a country with a very unsure future to heading up the forecasts in Europe, according to data published by the European Commission". He pointed out that, in 2015, the Spanish economy will grow by more than 2% - "healthy, balanced growth based on solid foundations". In the words of the President of the Government, "Spain has hit the change switch", because it is at the gates to a new virtuous cycle of growth and job creation".

According to Mariano Rajoy, the most "hopeful" aspect of this change relates to job creation: between 2014 and 2015, one million more Spaniards will have managed to find a job. "A figure which, with an unquestionably economic importance, is the soundest basis of our public services, social policies and a Welfare State that are unanimously admired by the millions of tourists who visit us year after year", said the President of the Government.

Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign

Pool MoncloaSpain Global Tourism Forum is an international tourism event with global content and highly economic in nature. It is organised by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism. The most important figures in the world of economics and tourism are invited to analyse and evaluate the tremendous repercussion of this sector on generating wealth for a country. This takes place on Tuesday at the Madrid Trade Fair Centre as a preliminary forum to the International Trade Fair (FITUR), which is celebrating its 35th edition from Wednesday 28 January to Sunday 1 February.

During his participation at the event, the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Taleb Rifai, accompanied by the President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), David P. Scowsill, presented the President of the Government with an Open Letter to join the Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign.