The Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME) will organize the I Mediterranean Hotels Forum, which will take place in the framework of the 9th Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders, the 26th of November in Barcelona.
Barcelona, 10th of November 2015
The Mediterranean area is the most important tourist destination in the world. This tendency is expected to continue, reaching 420 million non-resident tourist visits in 2020. The tourism industries, specially the hotel sector, are key factors for the growth and development of the region, generating significant revenues and job creation in countries with high youth unemployment. Hence, it is necessary not only to improve the industry, but also dealing with it in an innovative and sustainable way within a diversified and changing environment.
The Mediterranean region is the largest tourist destination in the world, with approximately 35% of international tourism arrivals, representing 1/3 of tourism revenues, 20% of the world hotel capacity and 12% of the region GDP. However, despite the fact that tourism represents 13% of exports in the countries of the region, 23% of the services sector and employs more than 5 million people, the Mediterranean tourism is still heterogeneous and fragmented. It is necessary to strengthen its promotion, as a required step to compete internationally.
In order to present the current state of the hotel sector and discuss key opportunities and challenges of the sector in the region, the Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME), together with the Mediterranean Association of Hotels and Restaurants (MHRA) and in collaboration with the International Association of Hotels and Restaurants (IHRA), will organise the I Mediterranean Hotels Forum, which will be held in the framework of the 9th Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders, the 26th of November in Barcelona.
The forum will bring together presidents of associations and hotel chains of the northern and southern countries of the Mediterranean, in particular, Spain, France, Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Lebanon and the Egypt, to discuss the current state and development prospects of the sector, as well as investment opportunities in these countries. The meeting will count on the participation of high level experts in order to address and discuss key issues such as the development of the so-called “Green Hotels”, hotel management, security issues in the sector and employee training as a key element for the success of the industry.
This first edition will also be the occasion to announce the official launching of the Mediterranean Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), which will have its Constitutive General Assembly in the afternoon of the same day.
The countries of the two shores of the Mediterranean should work together to strengthen the leadership of the hotel sector in the region, increase market shares and generate incomes, jobs, as well as reduce poverty and contribute to the peace of the region.
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