The Generalitat reactivates the Tourism Board of Catalonia, inactive since 2013.

BarcelonaThe Generalitat (Catalan Government) has reactivated the Tourism Roundtable of Catalonia after more than ten years of inactivity, as announced this Monday by the Minister of Business and Employment, Miquel Sàmper, in statements to the media before the first meeting of the body's board. The Roundtable is an entity that brings together Catalan public administrations and the main business associations in the sector.

"It is normally said that we have too many roundtables and councils, but with tourism, it was essential that it meet again," stated the minister, who noted that tourism represents approximately 14% of the gross domestic product (GDP, the indicator that measures the size of a country) and 1. Specifically, tourism generated around €20 billion in 2024, which represents "practically 50% of the Generalitat's spending" last year, added Sámper.

Specifically, the Roundtable hasn't met since 2013. The Government's intention is for it to meet three times a year from now on and to be "an example of public-private collaboration," in Sàmper's words. In this regard, the minister confirmed that the first meeting would address the issue of the tourist tax, which was poorly received by industry associations.

Sàmper recalled that last year Catalonia was once again Spain's leading tourist destination, and that it could become the world's leading country in terms of tourist numbers in the coming years, surpassing France. In fact, in 2024 it will once again break all records, with almost 20 million foreign tourists in Catalonia (a figure that does not include visitors from the rest of Spain). about 94 million in Spain as a whole.

More quality

The objective of the Roundtable, according to the minister, is to maintain a dialogue between the business community and the administration to see "what we can do to continue growing in quality" rather than quantity. "Growth must always be accompanied by the quality of the service we want to provide," because "when a project seems to have reached its limit in terms of excellence, it falls asleep."

The Tourism Roundtable is "a permanent, consultative, collaborative, and advisory body" of the regional minister that addresses "issues related to tourism policy" and is made up of 22 members. In addition to the Generalitat (Catalan Government), the four provincial councils and the two municipal associations, most of the sector's employers' associations participate, such as the Business Confederation of Hotels and Restaurants of Catalonia (Confecat); the hospitality federations of the four Catalan regions; the Catalan federations of campsites and tourist apartments; Pimec Turisme (Catalan Tourism Association); and the travel agency association, Acave.

Also invited as members are the Council of Chambers of Commerce, the Catalan Tourism Agency, Barcelona City Council, the General Council of Aran, Pallars Activo, and the Professional Association of Tourist Information Providers.