The meeting will be held at the Villa del Conde de Lopesan between October 12 and 16 with the presence of 45 agents from 38 companies.
Gran Canaria Tourism participates with the intention of attracting a client who would increase turnover by showing a higher than average expenditure, being interested in the sustainability of the destination and in products in nature.
The island of Gran Canaria is hosting the annual congress of ACK CR, the main association of tour operators and wholesale agencies in the Czech Republic, from Saturday to Wednesday, October 16. The event, which is being held at the Villa del Conde hotel, part of the Lopesan Group, and with the active participation of Turismo de Gran Canaria, aims to attract an emerging customer base that has a high spending rate, a high concern for the sustainability element in the tourist experience and that prioritizes products linked to nature and local culture over traditional products exclusively related to sun and beach.
Jan Papež, spokesman for the Association of Czech Travel Agencies, explained that the Czech Republic's spending capacity has increased significantly in recent years. "We are experiencing rapid growth, especially among the country's middle and upper classes. There is greater spending and the Canary Islands are of great interest to them due to their quality offering, with a high focus on the Golf product during the winter season. The direct flights by Smartwings to three islands throughout the year also help a lot, so there is a strong movement between the Czech Republic and the Canary Islands," said an expert who predicted an increase in Czech visitors in the coming years if attractive destinations are offered that are different from other competing destinations. For Papež, this can be achieved primarily through the island's inland offering. "We really liked Tejeda and the summit area, the nature of the area and the presence of elements that only occur on this island," concluded the spokesman, who pointed out that Czech customers are especially interested in experiences linked to nature, close to the island's population and outside of hotel stays.
In parallel, Turismo de Gran Canaria has designed a programme of visits to discover the island's tourist offer and which, together with the usual references to the South, prioritises nature tourism with a sample of the Biosphere Reserve in the municipality of Tejeda. In addition, the manager Pablo Llinares made a presentation with the attractions and strengths of the Gran Canaria destination.
The manager of Turismo de Gran Canaria pointed out after his speech that the Czech client fits in with the entity's strategy established for the period 2021 - 2025 in which, among other things, it prioritizes turnover and spending over volume. "The Czech client is very interesting because they request products directly linked to spending in restaurants, shops and sports offerings on the island."
The trade fair is organised by the Spanish Tourist Office in Vienna and is attended by its director, Rocío Martín. She said that Spain is the fifth most popular destination for Czechs in summer and the first in winter. Last year, 620.000 tourists came to the country and up to September this year, 550.000 tourists came.
Lenka Viková, vice-president of ACK and president of Canaria Travel, said that the market is growing in the Czech Republic. “Our clients are looking for something different, more than just the beach, they are interested in products in nature. The Canary Islands are unique in this. You can travel around the world on the islands and we are showing agencies and tour operators the differences in landscapes and offers that there are in Gran Canaria. We want to create a cultural and gastronomic programme and offer unique and exclusive packages for our clients. We want our clients to leave the hotel and get to know the island,” she said.
The conference features a professional programme, a round table with the participation of Rocío Martín, Pablo Llinares, Pino León - Head of Tourism Promotion in Gran Canaria, - Lenka Viková - Vice President of ACK -, Ladislav Havel - President of ACK and Jan Papež - Spokesperson and Vice President of ACK. In addition, the main hotel companies on the island have a section for individual meetings with agents, as a workshop. In this way, commercial agents from HD Hotels, Livvo Hotel Group, Lopesan Hotels, Seaside Collection, Dunas Hotels & Resort, Princess Hotels & Resorts, Gloria Thalasso & Hotels, Bohemian Suites & Spa, RK Hotels and beCordial Hotels & Resorts had the opportunity to show their offer to the participants. They were accompanied by a representation of the Gran Canaria Convention Bureau team and official brands linked to Gran Canaria Tourism: such as Gran Canaria Natural & Active, Gran Canaria Blue, Gran Canaria Wellnes and Gran Canaria Tri, Bike & Run.
The programme of visits prepared by Turismo de Gran Canaria includes among its main attractions a visit to Tejeda, to see the biosphere reserve, a light walk, viewpoints; transfer to the Agala Winery for a tasting and dinner. It also includes a visit to the Maspalomas Dunes, Puerto de Mogán and the town of Vegueta, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
