The Spanish Tourism Institute, Turespaña, which forms part of the Ministry of Industry, has approved the preliminary plan –drawn up by Ineco– to renovate the Madrid Convention and Exhibition Centre, after passing the public consultation stage.

The company has already drafted plans for the two basic projects into which the works will be divided, in accordance with the Public Sector Contracts Act: restoring the centre to adequate levels of safety and functionality, so that it can once again be operated as a concession; and completely renovating the so-called ‘Building B’ in order to house the new headquarters of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

An official delegation led by Reyes Maroto, the minister of Industry, was taken on a guided tour of the facilities in September by Ineco.

The Spanish Institute of Tourism (Turespaña) has commissioned Ineco to design the project for the remodelling and expansion of Madrid’s Palacio de Congresos, on the Paseo de la Castellana. The project will include an evaluation of the state of conservation of its most famous feature, the Joan Miró mural on its façade.

The Palacio de Congresos was opened in 1970 but has been closed since December 2012, when a technical report determined that it did not comply with safety regulations. Once remodelled, the 40,000 m² building will house the new headquarters of the World Tourism Organisation, which has been based in Madrid since 1975.

In our first issue of 2016 we have made way for news articles and reports regarding major projects that are key to the future of Ineco and other companies from Spain. Both the study for the construction of a high-speed railway between New Delhi and Kolkata as well as the waste management contracts in Panama and Ecuador exemplify the headway made in overseas markets as a result of the years of training, work and rigour that Spanish engineering has brought to fruition in various infrastructure-related fields.

The value of these studies lies not only in their irrefutable technical and financial magnitude, but also –and almost more importantly– in the role they play in the socio-economic development of the countries where they are carried out in addition to the unique, exclusive experience that, having been designed for and applied to the Spanish market, is proving to yield excellent results in countries all around the world.

Although it was only a short time ago that we were strategizing how to export the technological capacity of the Spanish High-Speed Rail (AVE), we can now talk about some real-life examples. We are not only working in Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and Turkey, but over the last few months, Ineco has also begun to carry out studies for the implementation of this sophisticated rail technology in both Egypt and India. We are backed by more than 30 years of experience –the first high-speed railway in Spain was inaugurated in 1992– a rail network spanning 3,100 kilometres and a series of challenges that we have successfully overcome. The work that we are carrying out in India is featured both on our front page and in an article including an interview with the managing director of the HSRC, the body responsible for the development and implementation of high-speed rail projects in this Asian country.

We are not only working in Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and Turkey, but over the last few months Ineco has also begun to carry out studies for the implementation of this sophisticated rail technology in both Egypt and India

Tourism and air transport are also activities that carry an important weight in Spain. This is apparent in the record seen by the tourism industry with a total of 68 million visitors in 2015, wherein eight out of ten tourists arrived to Spain via one of the 46 Spanish airports. We are grateful for the participation and opinions of the secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in an article covering this topic. The aviation section of this issue also features another article which addresses the technical challenges faced in the design of control towers. Finally, I should like to mention the pages that we have dedicated to the colossal engineering project that spanned the 155 kilometres of the Atlantic Axis, crossing over rugged Galician terrain: 37 tunnels and 32 viaducts highlight the enormity of this project that has now become a reality.

With these and other articles, as well as an updated design, I am certain that we are conveying the high quality standard of Spanish engineering to our clients and readers without neglecting, of course, to inform and entertain.

To what extent does improved transport infrastructure influence tourism demand?

Infrastructure not only related to transport, but also to electricity and water, amongst others, have a vital relationship with the quality of tourism of a country. The extent thereof is linked to access to the country and to the services that tourists who visit it can enjoy. As such, both investment in the development of new infrastructure and the maintenance of already existing infrastructure is a strong determinant of the competiveness of the tourism sector.

In Spain, 80% of international tourists travel by airplane. Does AVE have any opportunity to gain prominence?

Not only AVE, but also the whole Spanish rail network, which is of a high quality. This is particularly evident in terms of the diversification of demand throughout Spain and the promotion of segments such as sports and ski tourism or cultural and gastronomic tourism.

What is Spanish tourism’s strength?

It is difficult to highlight just one strength when there are so many that deserve to be mentioned. I think that the first point is the training and professionalism of the individuals and institutions within it. In Spain, these individuals and institutions are responsible for a tourist who visits Spain for the first time coming back again and again in the future. This is an achievement that few countries have managed. The work carried out in recent years to diversify traditional beach tourism in other segments such as rural or cultural tourism is also a milestone that deserves to be recognised.

What do you think we should invest in?

There is always room for improvement. In this regard, continuing to work on developing segments such as gastronomy or maintenance and integration of infrastructure to make the experience of tourists more comfortable are areas that deserve continuous attention.

Spanish tourism is strong thanks to the professionalism of individuals and institutions

Will we lose tourism when stability is recovered in the north of Africa and the Middle East?

It is very unfair to think that the development that Spanish tourism has experienced has anything to do with the potential crises that other destinations are experiencing. Spain has devoted itself to tourism, it has done its work well for various decades and, as such, it has obtained these notable results that improve every year. The recovery of the area would be good news for all and would not harm anyone in any way. The slogan of the tourism sector is: “what is good for my neighbour is good for me”.

Do you see Spain as an upmarket and even a luxury destination?

I see Spain as a top destination in many segments that are consolidated, such as luxury tourism, but also in more recently appearing segments such as shopping tourism.

Do you think it is feasible to put limits on mass tourism in order to avoid the degradation of destinations?

There is nothing that we could call mass tourism, only the arrival of many tourists and the inability to manage it. We must develop appropriate strategic tools that help to avoid decongestion in accordance with which areas and, of course, measures guarantee the protection and sustainability of the natural and cultural heritage, as well as making the sector profitable for the local populations.

Which new areas in the world do you think will gain outgoing as well as incoming tourism?

According to our Barometer, Europe continues to be the most visited region with a 5% increase. Asia and the countries of the Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East are growing at a rate of 4%. This reflects the fact that emerging countries have significant expectations to consider for the future. In fact, China is now the first country in terms of outbound tourists.