Catalonia Whets British Travellers’ Appetites With Culture And Cuisine At London Travel Show

The World Travel Market 2025 successful London has seen nan Catalonia region reaffirm its opinionated pinch nan British recreation market, reporting 1.89 cardinal UK visitors successful 2024 who spent a full of €2.024 billion.

While these figures haven’t yet recovered to pre-Brexit levels, tourism officials opportunity nan marketplace is “mature, unchangeable and progressively focused connected higher worth experiences.”

At nan fair, a delegation from Catalonia – including elder tourism officials – highlighted nan region’s displacement toward cultural, gastronomic and sustainable travel, alternatively than conscionable sun-and-sea holidaying.

Spain’s second-largest inbound marketplace from nan UK, Catalonia is besides strengthening nonstop formation links pinch 18 UK airports and 4 successful Ireland, helping support connectivity solid. As 1 elder charismatic put it, nan purpose is to seizure a visitant pinch “value added” who stays longer, spends more, and engages pinch nan region beyond nan coastal resorts.

What nan Catalonia strategy signals is simply a maturing of UK tourism: less one-week formation escapes and much liking successful gastronomy, culture, golf, agelong stays and off-peak travel.

The beingness of cook Paco Pérez astatine a London cocktail event, hosted by nan Catalonia delegation, showed a superior level of ambition connected nutrient tourism.

Michelin-starred cook Paco Pérez is 1 of Spain’s astir acclaimed culinary figures, and is nan imaginative unit down respective award-winning restaurants, including Miramar successful Llançà (Girona) and Enoteca successful Barcelona, which together clasp 5 Michelin stars.

This attraction connected higher-value, experience-led tourism shows why nan UK marketplace remains some resilient and evolving.

Keeping formation connections regular and efficient, investing successful mid-week stays, high-end premium experiences and diversifying beyond sun and soil will matter much than ever if destinations are to enactment ahead.

This besides matters for nan wider Spanish tourism picture. The UK remains a cardinal root of visitors and revenue; nan truth that Catalonia tin clasp its crushed is encouraging for destinations elsewhere.