Brussels, 21/01/2010 (Agence Europe) - During the first meeting of the Spanish Presidency on tourism, on Monday 18 January in Alcalà de Henares, the Spanish secretary of state for tourism, Joan Mesquida, expressed hope that tourism would be able to stimulate economic and social development in different countries. The conference brought together European representatives and 20 countries from Latin America. Participants also included the secretary general of the World Organisation for Tourism (WOT), Taleb Rifai. According to WOT's figures, international tourism fell by 4% compared to figures for 2008, a point less than initial forecasts. Tourism is a sector that is certainly declining due to bad economic conditions but the adoption of a number of well-targeted measures could help the sector to begin growing again, explained participants at the conference. Discussions focused on the importance of a more ecological tourism that was environmentally friendly. Participants also discussed the positive impact of certain major events such as the Olympic Games or the football World Cup, in addition to the need for improved tourist infrastructure and greater revenues. Mr Mesquida underlined the importance of bringing countries together whose tourism sector is less consolidated than that in Spain because these meetings would allow them to avoid committing the same mistakes that Spain had made. Pedro Ortón from the European Commission's DG Enterprise and Industry said that they needed to highlight sustainability. He also called for local authorities to become more involved in their countries' tourist industry development.
The Alcalá de Henares meeting is the first in a series of three, which the Spanish secretary of state for tourism is organising during the Spanish Presidency. On 15 April an informal ministers meeting will take place and on 20 May, the Euro-Mediterranean meeting will be held. The European congress on tourism and gastronomy will also take place in May. (I.L./transl.fl)