He president of the Junta de Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañuecounderlined the “tourist strength” of the Community as “a decisive instrument for territorial cohesion”, to support the establishment of the population in rural areas. This is one of the messages launched during the inauguration at the Valladolid Fair of the event which unites for the first time the International Fair of Domestic Tourism and AR-PA Cultural Tourism, a “fusion” with which we wants to launch a “message” from the regional government: “That our immense heritage constitutes the basis of our tourist offer. » “This union is not a coincidence because on the one hand we invest in assets to generate wealth and employment and we do it throughout the territory: in the urban world and in the rural world”, he insisted.
To show “the great strength” of tourism in the Community, the president recalled some of the latest figures provided by the sector, such as eight million travelers that Castilla y León welcomed between January and October, “4.4 percent more than in 2023”, or leadership in job growth: “There have never been as many people working in the tourism sector as in October: 78,000 people.”
In this sense, he boasted that the “sustained” growth he maintained has now become “structural”. “Things are being done well,” he stressed, highlighting the work carried out in this area by “companies, workers, professionals in the sector”, as well as the “significant effort” of public administrations: “we can safely say it is wrong to say that Castilla y León also works in this area.
Its “immense cultural wealth”, its “natural heritage and its “unparalleled gastronomy” are the three “pillars” on which Castilla y León must rely to offer “tourism of excellence”, without forgetting “innovation” and “sustainability,” Mañueco said. , who announced for 2025 the celebration in the Community of “a major international event on our gastronomy”, with the support of the Confédération de l’Hôtellerie.
After his speech, the President of Castilla y León visited several of the exhibitors housed in Pavilion 4 of the exhibition center, where the AR-PA is held. It is accessed via an immersive corridor which leaves from pavilion 2, where the Intur stands are housed. During his visit, the president was accompanied by the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports, Gonzalo Santonja, and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Employment, Leticia García.
