López Miras highlights the “safe and sustainable” nature of tourism, which he points out as a “recovery lever”
The value of Murcian gastronomy was the starting point for the Region at the 42nd International Tourism Fair of Madrid (Fitur). The Minister of the Presidency, Tourism and Sports, Marcos Ortuño, gave the ‘kick off’ to the five days of the fair to present the new gastronomic tourism plan framed under the name of ‘Region of Murcia 1,001 Flavors’.
After two years holding the title of gastronomic capital, the Community is once again betting on Murcian cuisine to attract numerous visitors who savor the benefits of a land that puts the best of yesterday and today in its recipes. “The second most valued tourist product by visitors is our gastronomy”, explained Ortuño and demonstrated it with figures: “More than 80% of our tourists come to enjoy it”. For all these reasons, the new plan is committed to promoting Murcian cuisine, “natural and sustainable, and based on local, ecological and local products”, its quality and diversity and that of the services that provide them, known inside and outside the Community thanks to “an accessible and well-connected region that allows visitors to try everything that is produced here,” explained the counselor.
‘Murcia Region 1,001 Flavors’ does not forget another of the great regional gastronomic attractions: wine. Ortuño underlined the “perfect pairing” that the references of the three PDOs (Jumilla, Yecla and Bullas) make with the recipes of the great chefs of the Region and that have given rise to a wine tourism present especially on the wine routes. “We want to publicize a way of life that shows all its flavor in gastronomy”, he stated and added that the strategies of ‘1,001 Flavors’ will promote the professionalization of the sector and its excellence by intensifying the training actions of the Tourism Qualification Center for tourism technicians and professionals in the hospitality sector.
Among the main actions foreseen within the plan to promote gastronomic tourism, in which one million euros will be invested, the preparation of a ‘gastromap’ and a catalog with 48 unique gastronomic experiences, the programming of culinary events in the 45 municipalities and in many cities in the rest of Spain, the development of thematic products (Orchard, Sea, Rice, Canned, Meat) and workshops and tastings ‘Get to know our Region’ for non-professionals, among other actions, in addition to promoting the adherence of catering establishments to the gastronomic seal of quality, so that the 45 municipalities have these services and that they serve to seasonally adjust tourism and as a “complement to cultural, nature and sun and beach offers”, they detail from the Community.
The president of the Region, Fernando López Miras, was in charge of inaugurating the stand of the Community in Fitur, of 1,000 square meters, double that of the last edition. After visiting the space together with regional authorities such as the councilor Marcos Ortuño or the mayor of Yecla, Mª Remedios Lajara, López Miras claimed the value of tourism as “essential and a lever to get out of this crisis. We have everything to make it an engine for generating employment and opportunities.” He highlighted the benefits of “the best land in the world” and valued the sector as “safe and sustainable”, while highlighting “the great diversity of natural, historical and cultural resources that we have”.
López Miras also influenced the regional government’s commitment to this sector through the Strategic Tourism Plan 2022-2032, which includes the new plan, which was presented last week and is endowed with more than 210 million euros. . “We have to make it have a greater weight in GDP and we are going to achieve it.”
Great chefs for great dishes
The best Murcian cuisine was brought together at the Region’s stand. Yesterday, it was the scene of ‘showcookings’ starring chefs Juan Guillamón, from AlmaMater -in the image-; Juan Pablo Ortiz, from Barrigaverde; Salvador Fernández, from El Borrego, and Rodi Fernández, from La Taúlla.
Reactivation after the sixth wave
The arrival of the sixth wave of the coronavirus was a blow to tourism. After eleven months of rebound, López Miras regretted that the pandemic frustrated, mainly in December, “the expectations of closing a year with positive data.” Despite this, he was confident, “waiting to contain this sixth wave and preparing to, once we leave it behind, be able to reactivate it.” In this sense, he once again emphasized Murcia as “a land with all the requirements to be one of the tourist protagonists of Spain in 2022”, thanks to “the best natural spaces, more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, an interior with a historical and cultural heritage like few territories in our country and a gastronomy that is not found in any other corner of Europe. Whoever comes to the Region of Murcia will be able to enjoy all these activities with a security that other territories do not give them. I believe that these are assets and attractions that we have to exploit, publicize and promote.
The value of Murcia for tourists is evidence not only endorsed by the authorities of the Region, but also recognized by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, during her visit to the stand. During his tour, Maroto emphasized the need to open up to the visitor and positively valued the space of the Community in Fitur, “which very well captures the identity of Murcia and the projection of a territory that wants to be at the center, teaching the tourist international its heritage, its culture, its nature and its excellent beaches.
spotless track record
On the other hand, the Alfonso XIII Hotel in Cartagena, Juan Carlos García Ródenas, received from CaixaBank at Fitur the award from the financial entity ‘Hotels&Tourism for business career’.
The Community brings out all its religious artillery in Madrid
The Community took out all its religious artillery yesterday with the enhancement of its four Holy Weeks of International Tourist Interest: Murcia, Cartagena, Lorca and Jumilla. In the act, different political representatives of these municipalities, in addition to prominent members of the councils and brotherhoods, presented the posters announcing some parties that, if the coronavirus allows it, will be held from April 8 to 17. «The most important thing is that our processions come out. Two years without them are too many,” lamented the mayor of Cartagena, Noelia Arroyo, referring to the editions canceled due to the pandemic.
In the same line, the president of the Superior Council of Brotherhoods of Murcia, José Ignacio Sánchez Ballesta, was shown, who emphasized his “very long journey” from Holy Week in the capital. Murcia is art and passion of exciting plastic intensity thanks to the imagery of Salzillo». For his part, the Councilor for Tourism of Lorca, Francisco Morales, valued “the unique passion of this event”, very important for the City of the Sun, which, in addition, has allowed to maintain a trade over time, that of the embroiderers , so associated with those days. To finish, the vice-president of the Cabildo de Cofradías de Jumilla, Juan Mateo Gómez, valued the 610 years of history of this Jumillano tradition and underlined the value of some processions “that cannot be experienced anywhere else, that attract those who lives and that make it repeat».
.