PLANS AND STRATEGIES TO BOOST TOURISM IN MR&H

The Tourism and Hotel Real Estate industry will grow in the Mediterranean region, according to experts speaking at the Mediterranean Resort & Hotel Real Estate Forum. The event’s first edition took place in Madrid, from 9-11 November, with more than 350 leaders from the industry. According to Taleb Rifai, secretary general of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourism is the way 21st century citizens enjoy life. “It has become not just a leisure activity, but a fundamental human right.” Rifai emphasized that more than 340 million tourists chose a Mediterranean destination for their holiday in 2014. “The Mediterranean must diversify and attract tourists from Asia and Latin America, providing visas more efficiently,” he said, adding that there were great opportunities in the region, as long as safety improved.