Experiencing Spain

In order to ensure a continuous and seamless interaction with the travel trade in India, the Tourism Office of Spain – Mumbai has been conducting a series of webinars on fun and exciting topics which will spill into June as well. Attend all three of the upcoming webinars, participate in the educational quiz and stand a chance to win Amazon gift vouchers.

The Tourism Office of Spain – Mumbai organised a series of three webinars in April 2021 to engage and educate travel trade professionals in India. The National Tourism Office continues with its webinar series exclusively designed for the Indian travel trade with one-hour webinars in June-July on Thursdays.

Webinars in June 2021

Reasons to Visit Valencia

Thursday, 10 June @ 3pm IST

Valencia is a city worth taking time over, exploring every detail and discovering the places you might miss on a first trip. The famous City of Arts and Sciences and the Miguelete Tower are always great places to visit. But to see what really makes a city tick, you have to pause and enjoy the atmosphere in its sunny squares and its markets, discover the legends behind its monuments, explore restored neighbourhoods like Cabanyal, or see the light of the Mediterranean suffusing the landscape in La Albufera. If you’re looking for intriguing, unusual activities that let you see the city in a different way, we suggest you to please attend the webinar on 10 June, 3PM IST.

Following the way of Saint James during the Xacobeo Holy Year 2021-2022

Thursday, 01 July @ 3pm IST

The Xacobeo Holy Year is an incredible experience that will delight you, a date that is eagerly awaited by pilgrims from all over the world.

The well-known Jacobean pilgrimage routes of The Way of Saint James (Camino de Santiago) are full of events throughout the year: concerts, art exhibitions, conferences, talks, films, educational and academic activities, tourism, volunteering, cuisine, etc. It is for the first time, the celebration of the Xacobeo Holy Year will be extended over two consecutive years (2021 and 2022) because of the pandemic. Join our webinar on 01 July, 3PM IST to listen to experts share their experiences.

How many of Spain’s heritage cities do you know?

Thursday, 08 July @ 3pm IST

Visiting Spain brings you into direct contact with the history of its civilizations. There are 15 stunning UNESCO World Heritage cities to be seen in Spain, each with its exceptional sights and unique scenes. Take the time to explore their local cuisine, learn about their customs, and take part in their fiestas for a complete experience and an unforgettable trip. The webinar scheduled on 08 July, 3PM IST will inspire you to plan a culturally oriented journey into the art and splendour of Spain.

Webinars in April 2021

Starting with Sevilla, the webinar titled ‘Returning to Sevilla’ was conducted on April 8 and showcased MICE experiences in Sevilla. This webinar was conducted in collaboration with the Congress and Convention Bureau Sevilla and was attended by 513 persons.

The content of the webinar, presented by Sevilla Congress and Convention Bureau (SCCB) was a virtual visit in the form of a familiarisation trip. It included an artistic walk through the city and the Guadalquivir River, involving the protagonists who inspired the feat of the first return to the world from 1519 to 1522, with Seville as the origin and destination point. They also shared information on 30 new hotel projects that are about to open in Seville and the new works in San Pablo Airport which will double its capacity in the near future, both in terms of connections as well as passenger management.

The active participation from attendees in asking questions about Sevilla proves the desire to travel and to experience new emotions in a destination that motivates the Indian traveller in a special way.

Costa del Sol-Malaga

The next in the series was focused on ‘Costa del Sol-Malaga: The Real Gateway to Andalucia’ that was held on April 15 and highlighted holiday experiences in Costa del Sol-Malaga. This webinar was conducted in collaboration with the Tourist Office of Costa del Sol along with their partners and 418 persons attended the webinar.

The webinar began with a message from the celebrated international actor and a resident of Malaga, Antonio Banderas, inviting everyone to visit and enjoy life in Costa del Sol/ Andalucia.  Coming to Málaga and Costa del Sol means finding beautiful landscapes, fabulous beaches, delicious food, interesting customs and traditions. It means discovering a rich cultural heritage, amazing coastal areas, and charming white hinterland villages. A short presentation by the Tourist Office of Costa del Sol unveiled these aspects of the destination.

The answers from the attendees to the poll questions were very insightful, especially Costa del Sol as a venue for destination weddings from India.

AVE Cities Network

The final webinar in April was titled ‘I Travel Because It’s My Turn’ and it focused on holiday options using the wide network of Spanish trains. It was conducted in collaboration with the AVE Cities Network and was attended by 541 persons. AVE Cities Network offers a unique service providing clients with more than 500 products and experiences in Spain to suit all types of travellers and budgets.

The 33 cities that form part of the network and the experiences offered at the destinations are what make travelling by train in Spain so appealing. AVE Cities offers not just train journeys but a chance to discover and experience
33 interconnected de tinations in Spain. avexperience.es is the new portal to the AVE Cities Network, not only for the end customer but also for the travel agent, who have a direct access from the homepage, so they can purchase their trips and experiences in a user-friendly way. The portal also offers  dynamic packaging, which enables the user to design their own trip, combining different journeys, accommodation and experiences. Trips are tailored to suit all people, availability and tastes.

A representative from AVE Cities Network explained these features of the portal during the webinar. The webinar series from the Tourism Office of Spain – Mumbai concluded  with an exciting educational quiz for the travel trade. Over 300 entries were received with over 100 all-correct answers. To qualify as winner for the  Amazon Gift Voucher, worth `4000 each, one had to not only have all correct answers but also be quick to submit the answers. The most important criterion was, of course, attendance at all the three webinars.

Spain Specialist Programme restarts

After a gap of two years, Spain Tourism has restarted its Spain Specialist Programme (SSP), its e-learning platform designed by Turespaña to familiarise tourism professionals with Spanish culture, the regions of Spain, and its tourist attractions. The SSP is designed to give professionals the expertise they need to improve their relationship with their customers and increase their sales. All the SSP courses are free of charge and the travel trade can take it at their own convenience and earn a Spain Expert Certificate issued by Turespaña. Its online campus is available at http://campus.spain.travel/en-in/