The Spanish government, LaLiga and the Confederation of Employers and Industries of Spain (CEOE) have come together in a bid to boost and promote the country as a safe destination for tourism. The campaign will be given considerable visibility domestically and internationally over the remaining 11 rounds of fixtures in the league.
Along with the #SpainAwaitsYou hashtag, the initiative was unveiled today at LaLiga headquarters.
On hand were Isabel Oliver, the secretary of state for tourism; Javier Tebas, LaLiga president; Antonio Garamendi, CEOE President; and Faustino Blanco, the general secretary of the ministry of health.
LaLiga officials said they were aware of the opportunity it has as an entertainment platform that reaches over 2.7 billion people globally, which is why it will be fully supporting this initiative, whose visibility will be boosted further by a specially created logo.
LaLiga will give global visibility to the campaign through a logo that will be seen on the competition’s international broadcasts, as well as through creative pieces and posts on its social media networks (on which it has over 100 million followers), region-specific virtual perimeter advertising boards, virtualisation of stadiums and digital marketing strategies, among other initiatives.
“Spain is ready to safely welcome international tourists from July 1st. We have thoroughly prepared to ensure we guarantee the highest safety standards across our whole tourism industry by rolling out over 20 uniform protocols for the entire country. We want tourists to feel confident and we are sending out a very clear message that will be amplified by this campaign: Spain is waiting for you,” said Oliver.
The tourism industry is vital to Spain. It makes up 12.3% of the country’s GDP and employs 12.7% of the total number of people signed up for social security.
There is no other sector that generates so much employment and, at the same time, is a tool for social cohesion, economic development, and population retention.
It is also a transversal sector that has a multiplier effect in other parts of the economy, such as trade and transport.
Spain is a leading global tourist destination, has been the most competitive country in the world since 2015, according to the World Economic Forum, and is second-ranked in terms of the number of international visitors and tourism expenditure.
LaLiga President Tebas admitted that he feels, “immensely proud that professional football can keep helping boost Spain’s visibility beyond our borders and help the country’s economy”.
He added, “Football and LaLiga play a key role in promoting Spain all over the world, which is why it’s so important for us to be part of this project now. At LaLiga, we’re going to do everything in our power for Spain to come out of this situation as quickly as possible.”