Spain
Contact:		Monica Sanchez Nunez
Job Title:		Incentive & Congresses Executive
Address:		Spanish Tourist Office 6th Foor 64 North Row London W1K 7DE
Tel:		+44 (0)207 317 2015
Email:		This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web:		www.spain.info/uk www.ineedspain.com

Spain is a great place to do business. Testament to that are the one million visitors who travel to Spain from the UK to do business each year.   While the Spanish culture, lifestyle and weather is a draw, as are its exciting cities and  rich heritage. Spain also offers people looking to do business, world class hotels, an excellent infrastructure, 50 convention centres and, most importantly, easy access at sensible prices. Every corner of Spain is accessible from the UK by one direct flight.

Over 6,500 conventions were held in Spain alone in 2007, placing Spain in the top five business destinations in the world.

And the Spanish National Tourist Office is committed to maintaining that position.  A dedicated MICE department in the London outpost of the Spanish Tourist Office provides  professional support for organizers planning events in Spain, no matter what the size, from a large conference,  to a business meeting or incentive trip.

Each year the MICE team at the Spanish Tourist Office organizes regular familiarization trips for buyers  in order to introduce them to the different destinations that Spain offers - The Cities of Spain, world heritage sites, beachfront, island, mountain - and also the myriad products on offer.   New conference halls and better infrastructures are always being developed throughout Spain, and the Spanish hotel scene remains as vibrant as ever.

The Spanish Tourist Office holds a number of key exhibitions each year in Spain and invites MICE buyers to attend them. For example  FITUR Congresos, which is organized by IFEMA in conjunction with Turespaña, is an international event that takes place in Madrid each year.  During FITUR Congresos, MICE buyers are not just exposed to the excellence of the Spanish exhibitions product, they are also given  a proper feel for the city and introduced to its hotels, art galleries, museums, palaces and sports complexes as well as any other attractions or venues that may be of interest.  They are also invited to visit destinations outside Madrid the weekend before FITUR Congresos starts.  FITUR Congresos is being held next year (2011) from 17 to 19 January.

Back in the UK, the Spanish Tourist Office is a regular attendee of workshops at events throughout the country, bringing with them top hotel representatives, Destination Management Companies, venues and Convention Bureaux

Keep an eye out for two exciting new developments in Spain. In the southern part of Madrid, the Madrid Caja Magica (Madrid’s Magic Box) -  a multifunctional sports complex set in the capital’s Manzanares Park  - has just opened.   Also under construction is Madrid’s  International Convention Centre set in the new financial district, and promising to be Spain’s most avant-garde venue. For more information on both products visit   www.madrideyc.es

And finally, the Maspalomas Conference Centre has recently reopened in Gran Canaria, next to the new luxury resort area of Meloneras. The centre´s capacity is of 6,665 people at one time and boasts the most up-to-date technology. Its flexible design facilitates a wide range of events from big concerts to sports events, as well as lecture-style sessions.

Visit Spain. A great place to do business.

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