Salou. Costa Dorada. 01 December 2018.
The number of overnight stays in establishments in Salou during this year 2018 already accounts for 7,803,648, a figure that has been reduced by 0.6%, comparing the figures with the same period last year. Spaniards, English, French, Russians and Irish are the ones who visit the capital of the Costa Dorada the most, where the promotion of a sun, beach and family destination within Catalonia is emphasized. Regarding the number of overnight stays that were carried out in 2016, the decrease is more than 6%, since 2016 was a record year in tourism.
Therefore, this 2018 season can be considered a "very good tourist season, given that it has only been reduced from an almost imperceptible percenetatge in the number of overnight stays and more," he added, "if we started from a year 2017 of remembrance", pointed Mayor Pere Granados.
This is, broadly speaking, the holder of the balance of the 2018 season according to the information that has been disclosed at a press conference by Salou in a table where, in addition to the mayor, has also been present the councilor of Tourism Benet Dams and the managing director of the Tourist Board, Juan Carlos Capilla. The mayor also stressed that "we can be satisfied with how the march has been this tourist season, and practically end the year with the same overnight stays as in 2017 and with a degree of satisfaction of the tourism product that will allow us to grow at peak season , beyond the sun and the beach, and in that we will continue working ".
The councilman of Tourism and according to the report of the Observatory of the Scientific and Technological Park of Tourism and Leisure has explained which is the origin of the visitors by nationalities: a total of 2,748,000 overnight stays correspond to Spanish tourism; followed by British tourism that has reached the figure of 1,584,000 overnight stays and, therefore, remains the second most important market in the municipality or much more noticeable increases as 8.5% more of the French market that has been located in the about 1 million overnight stays; or the Russian -in 4th position- with 852,000 overnight stays, followed by the Irish with 479,000 overnight stays. "This year we have been working hard in the traditional emitting markets to attract and consolidate but also emphasizing the peak season with events to attract local tourism and also with major sporting events", pointed out, among them, the RallyRACC; the Challenge but also with football and basketball events.
The strategy of markets in 2018, as explained by the councilman of Tourism has gone through sustain the promotion with our main markets (Spain, United Kingdom, France, Russia, Ireland and Benelux) trying to lengthen the season and at the same time increase our actions in certain strategic markets such as the Baltic States, Poland, Scandinavian countries, Italy and Germany. As for the strategy on product lines, we have continued to focus on the promotion and development of our main product: we are the main destination of Sol y Playa Familiar de Catalunya, while we increase our promotional activity with products such as sports tourism , gastronomic and cultural events. Regarding the issuers markets throughout this 2018 the Tourism Board of Salou has worked intensely through the attendance to fairs and in various types of promotion actions to continue maintaining a market share and strengthen Spanish tourism; that of Great Britain; that of France and Benelux; as well as that of Russia and Eastern Countries, Germany and also to open market in Slovenia.
