Description

Barcelona Global, with the participation of more than 30 key tourism stakeholders in the city, share the report "Commitment to tourism as a driving force behind the Barcelona of talent", a new document that contains proposals for the turism industry and the city -the third about tourism published by Barcelona in the last 4 years-.

This report includes 10 workstream to regain quality tourism that is sustainable and competitive and that can become a driving force behind the talent economy. Sustainable tourism should be based on both visitors that seek to live enriching experiences combining leisure for different ages (whole families, young or senior tourists) and visitors interested in business, expos and fairs, corporate meetings, and product presentations. 

To develop the proposals, it is essential to regain dialogue and trust between the private and the public sector. The time has come to move from diagnosis to execution, so that the tourism industry contributes to the recovery of the city.

This report is proposed as a working basis and seeks to identify the measures to be undertaken in the coming months, both by the different administrations and public operators and by the private sector and civil society, so that the tourism industry, key for the economy of Barcelona, emerges stronger from the most important crisis that an economic sector ever suffered in such a short period of time in the city.

The report has been prepared with the involvement of about thirty leaders of the hospitality, retail, mobility, cultural and service industries, as well as large tourist attractions, that have participated in different meetings. Additionally, more than 40 hours of in-depth interviews have been carried out with 25 businessmen and managers from the main tourism stakeholders in the city.

Goals

From Barcelona Global we propose to develop a set of initiatives which emanate from the next 10 proposals:

1. A commitment to quality, focussing on public space, public safety, cleaning and a service experience through technology.
2. A facilitating, active and dynamic administration that guarantees legal security in the sector and in investment, able to speed up the decision-making, able to promote a quality offer to all dimensions of the turism industry in Barcelona, strict with the incivility and capable to mantain an open and constructive dialogue with the tourism's private sector in the city. An administration that works proposals on:
   • Making the Peuat more flexible, allowing iconic hotels to be built in listed buildings in the city center
   • Mantaining strict rules for accomodation in tourist apartments located in entire blocks
   • Shop opening hours
3. A commitment to provide aid to the sector in line with the economic recovery and to provide incentives for investment and quality.
4. Intercontinental connections from Barcelona Airport, as well as proposals to prioritise cruise ships to and from Barcelona.
5. Prioritize culture as a city asset and as a key factor in the creation of a quality offer, both for residents and visitors
   • Enhance the existing offer on an international scale.
   • Generate new cultural activity from key axes such as international circuits, music, digitalization and knowledge.
6. A dynamic and active city center for Barcelona residents, visitors and economic activity, with special emphasis on La Rambla, Via Laietana, Parc de la Ciutadella, Paral·lel, and Montjuïc.
7. A commitment to new reasons to visit Barcelona, positioning the city as a wellness and health destination and as an international higher education hub. 
8. A commitment to reduce seasonality, betting again on major events as an engine of promotion and urban transformation and setting Christmas and winter as a strategy.
9. A renewed public-private collaboration based on shared action plans and commitments.
10. A renewed and ambitious promotion of the city to which all of the sectors involved are committed.

Participants

• Participants in Challenge meetings:

José Adell (Grupo Julià), Angel Díaz (Advanced Leisure Services), Michael Goldenberg (Value Retail), Bruno Hallé (Cushman & Wakefield), Mathieu Herrero (Areas), Marta Labata (Barcelona Serveis Municipals), Arturo Mas-Sardà (PortAventura World), Arnaldo Muñoz (Busuu), Marian Muro (Turisme de Barcelona), David Rico (CaixaBank Hotels and Tourism), Maria Segarra (Intueri), Constantí Serrallonga (Fira Barcelona), Tomás Tarruella (Grupo Tragaluz), Oscar Vela (Areas), José Adell (Grupo Julià).

• Entrepreneurs and professionals interviewed

Enrique Alcántara (Apartur), Joaquin Ausejo (Alma Hotels), Timo Buetefisch (Cooltra), Manel Casals (Gremi d’Hotels de Barcelona), Marko Daniel (Fundació Joan Miró), Jordi Espelt (H10 Hotels), Elena Foguet (Value Retail), Gary Gautier (Casa Batlló), Gabriel Jené (La Mallorquina), Juan Juliá (Axel Hotels), Marta Lacambra (Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera), Amancio López (Grupo Hotusa), Oscar Manresa (Oscar Manresa Restaurants Group), Inés Miró-Sans (Casa Bonay), Montserrat Moragas (Laie), Roger Pallarols (Gremi de Restauració), Lluis Sans (Santa Eulàlia), Pepe Serra (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya), Paco Solé Parellada (Restaurant 7 Portes), Tomás Tarruella (Grupo Tragaluz), José Maria Trenor (Cotton House Hotel), Manel Vallet (Catalonia Hotels), Anton Vidal (Poble Espanyol), Liran Wizman (Sir Victor).