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Lloret de Mar hosts the first edition of Hostelmeeting, the professional hospitality and catering trade fair

Lloret de Mar will become the meeting point for the sector on 11 and 12 March with the first edition of Hostelmeeting, the new professional fair that will bring together companies, suppliers and hospitality and catering professionals from across Catalonia.

The official opening will take place on 11 March at 11:00, with institutional representation and the participation of the sector’s main guilds and associations.

The event will take place at the Gran Casino Costa Brava Auditorium, featuring 44 exhibition stands and with an expected attendance of hundreds of professionals each day, establishing itself from its debut as a new strategic event for the sector in the region.

The fair is jointly organised by the Lloret de Mar Hospitality Guild, the Lloret de Mar Bars, Restaurants and Cafés Guild, the Girona County Federation of Hospitality and Tourism, and MC Advertising, with the collaboration of the Lloret de Mar Town Council and Lloret Turisme.

In the words of the President of the Hospitality Guild, Mr Enric Dotras: “This project was created to meet the need for a local, professional networking space that fosters direct connection between suppliers and decision-makers in the sector. Lloret de Mar, a leading tourist destination in Catalonia, was the ideal location”.

The hospitality sector is one of the most important economic drivers in Catalonia, generating between 73 and 75 million overnight stays annually and an estimated turnover of between €22 billion and €24 billion, figures that represent approximately 12% to 14% of Catalonia’s GDP.

Over two days, the fair will bring together companies and brands specialising in food and drink, professional equipment and machinery, textile interior design and lighting, services and consultancy, technological solutions and management software, wellness spas and sports equipment.

The event will combine the exhibition area with professional demonstrations and presentations, creating a dynamic environment geared towards quality networking and the generation of real business. On 11 March at 16:00, the event will feature a talk by Xavier Verdaguer, entitled “Longevity Inspires a Lifestyle”, a presentation focused on innovation, health and the new opportunities that directly impact the future of the sector.

In 2026, Lloret Turisme celebrates 25 years of pioneering co-governance and its future strategy with the Lloret de Mar Strategic Plan 2026-2031

A delegation led by the Mayor of Lloret, Adrià Lamelas, has travelled to Madrid to participate in FITUR 2026 in a particularly significant year for the destination, as it marks the 25th anniversary of Lloret Turisme, a pioneering public-private tourism management body in Spain, and for the presentation of the Lloret de Mar Strategic Plan, which sets out the strategic lines that will define the future of the municipality.

Established in 2001, Lloret Turisme has consolidated itself as a benchmark model of co-governance, based on the stable collaboration between the public administration and the private sector, which in 2016 also incorporated social stakeholders and citizens into decision-making. A model that has now become a trend at a national and international level, in a context where shared governance is key to addressing the challenges of sustainability, competitiveness and transformation in the tourism sector. This model has been instrumental in establishing Lloret de Mar as a benchmark for urban sun and sand tourism, with a clear commitment to deseasonalization and the diversification of tourist products such as sports tourism and meetings and events tourism through the Lloret Convention Bureau.

2026–2031 Strategy and International Positioning

One of the key pillars is Lloret de Mar’s commitment to capitalising on the potential represented by the Ryder Cup golf tournament, which will take place on the Costa Brava in 2031, as a lever for international projection and for attracting high-value-added segments. Last week, Lloret de Mar presented the “Lloret with the Ryder Cup” committee, made up of around fifteen representatives from the most strategic sectors to work together before, during and after the event.

Artificial intelligence in the service of the destination

Lloret Turisme is taking a step forward in innovation with the implementation of artificial intelligence solutions applied to tourism management. Specifically, it is working on a comprehensive 360-degree strategy for implementing AI aimed at optimising internal processes and creating tools for the professional sector to improve decision-making through data analysis. In addition, it is also developing an intelligent tourist chatbot to enhance the visitor experience.

Culture, unique spaces and new programming

Among the highlights, Lloret Turisme is presenting the new amphitheatre in Santa Clotilde Gardens, an emblematic space located in the historic Santa Clotilde Gardens that expands the destination’s cultural offering and will host a new musical and cultural programme, helping to reinforce Lloret’s position as a cultural and experiential destination all year round. Furthermore, this space will also host one of the technical visits for the UIA World Congress of Architecture (International Union of Architects), which will be held in Barcelona in 2026.

Lloret’s business presence and recognition of local entrepreneurship

Lloret de Mar‘s participation in FITUR 2026 also features a prominent presence of professionals and companies from the destination with their own stands at the fair, reinforcing the profile and leadership of Lloret de Mar. Among the companies present are H Top Grup / L’Azure Hotel, Evenia Hotels and Evenia Travel Services, Marmirada, Viajes Olympia and Meliá Hotels International, as well as representatives from different key areas of the tourism sector: accommodation, intermediation, technology and innovation.

In this context, the recognition awarded by CaixaBank Hotels & Tourism to Mr Jordi Frigola, CEO of the Frigola Group, as a Transformative Leader also stands out. An award that highlights his career, leadership, and contribution to the development and competitiveness of the tourism sector in the Costa Brava and Barcelona. This accolade reaffirms the role of the local business fabric as a key player in the transformation of the tourism model and in the success of the public-private collaboration model promoted by Lloret Turisme.

Institutional and professional agenda at FITUR 2026

Lloret’s participation in FITUR includes a busy public schedule, with appearances at key events, round tables on sustainability, sports tourism, digitalisation and governance, and presentations by Lloret Turisme itself, as well as an extensive meeting schedule with agencies, operators, the media and partners from strategic international markets.

Among the highlights are Lloret Turisme’s presentation on the implementation of artificial intelligence in the destination, participation in spaces such as FITUR TechY, FITUR Sports and FITUR Screen, as well as events recognising tourism leadership and talent.

Yesterday, the first day of the fair, Lloret de Mar participated in the minutes of silence called for the Adamuz and Gelida railway accidents.

Lloret Tourism presents its 360-degree Artificial Intelligence implementation project as a key tool to reinforce the tourism strategy and the destination’s positioning

Lloret Tourism has presented its 360-degree Artificial Intelligence (AI) implementation project at FITUR (Madrid) to the professional tourism sector, a strategic initiative that represents an evolution of its tourism management model, incorporating a much more comprehensive and innovative vision.

This implementation, currently in BETA phase, has been carried out following a progressive approach and has been supported by the digital transformation consultancy Growtur. In the first phase, a significant internal restructuring was carried out, integrating all existing content, data and sources of work into a common, shared AI environment. This process has enabled a move towards a more integrated management of tourism knowledge, improving the quality of information, efficiency and data analysis capabilities, both at strategic and operational levels.

Once this internal foundation was consolidated, the project has focused on communication and serving two clearly distinct audience profiles. On the one hand, the professional audience (B2B), which now has a new decision-making support tool that integrates various tourist data sources, accessible dynamically and conversationally, in a single space. On the other hand, the end user (B2C) audience is offered direct and personalised attention through the “Dona Marinera” chatbot, an AI-based virtual assistant that provides easy, intuitive and round-the-clock access to tourist information.

In the words of Elizabeth Keegan, manager of Lloret Turisme, “this implementation of artificial intelligence represents an evolution in responding to demand trends in the way tourist enquiries are made. AI facilitates the search for information for visitors, making it more accessible and personalised, while also allowing for a more efficient service, tailored to the real needs of each person”.

Beyond visitor services, the project incorporates AI as a key tool in data governance and for the strategic planning of Lloret Turisme and the town itself. This technology allows a shift from reactive to proactive and scalable models. In this regard, AI also supports a better interpretation and exploitation of tourism data platforms, helping to convert large volumes of information into useful knowledge for tourism planning and management.

In the words of the Mayor of Lloret de Mar, Adrià Lamelas, “With this project, Lloret de Mar reaffirms its commitment to continuous improvement, consolidating Lloret de Mar as a smart tourist destination, prepared to face the challenges of the present and the future and to respond to demand trends”.

The two new artificial intelligence-based tools from Lloret Turisme can be accessed at donamarinera.lloretdemar.org (B2C) and dades.lloretdemar.org (B2B).

Lloret de Mar present at World Travel Market London 2025

Lloret de Mar is participating this week in the World Travel Market London 2025 trade fair, from 4 to 6 November, as part of its strategy to promote itself internationally and consolidate its position in the British market. The World Travel Market is also the first international tourism fair after the tourist season, and Lloret de Mar’s presence, through Lloret Turisme, aims to publicise new developments, support the private sector in its promotional work and learn about forecasts and trends for 2026.

Lloret Turisme is participating in the Catalonia stand, where it is holding an extensive schedule of meetings with tour operators, travel agencies and specialised media, with the aim of promoting new collaborations and publicising the main new developments in the destination. This year, various meetings have been coordinated with strategic partners in the field of golf, such as the international association IAGTO (Global Golf Tourism Organisation), with the aim of making the most of the 2031 Ryder Cup, which will be held at Camiral, Quinta do Lago Resort, Girona, just 20 minutes from Lloret de Mar. Lloret Turisme has also met with Iberia Sports to continue its commitment to sports programmes and with European communication agencies to reinforce the destination’s latest developments in markets such as France and Benelux.

Representing the private sector in Lloret, the following companies travelled to London: Rosamar Hotels, H·Top Group, L’Azure Hotel, Evenia Hotels, Traveltec, Evenia Travel Services, Viajes Olympia, Garbí Hotels, Aqua Hotels and Marsol Hotels.

In parallel with the commercial activities of Lloret Turisme, Mayor Adrià Lamelas has had a busy institutional agenda as president of the Alliance of Sun and Beach Tourist Municipalities (AMT). Among the most notable activities was a meeting with Spanish and British media correspondents at the Turespaña stand, where the AMT’s lines of work and its commitment to a more competitive and sustainable tourism model were presented. In addition, the mayor chaired various institutional meetings, such as the AMT Board of Directors, and attended the official reception with the Spanish ambassador to the United Kingdom and the gastronomic reception for Catalonia as a world region of gastronomy.

As part of his institutional agenda at the WTM, Mayor Adrià Lamelas also met with the main tourism authorities at the state and Catalan levels, such as the Secretary of State for Tourism, the Director General of Turespaña and the Director General of Tourism of the Generalitat de Catalunya. These meetings served to reinforce Lloret de Mar‘s position as a leading destination and to align common strategies in the areas of sustainability, international promotion and responsible tourism.

“Participating in WTM London is a great opportunity for Lloret de Mar and for the entire Alliance of Tourist Municipalities. The British market is strategic and loyal, and we must continue working to offer a product based on sustainability, an area that they particularly value,” said the Mayor of Lloret de Mar and President of the AMT. For her part, the manager of Lloret Turisme stressed that “Lloret de Mar is coming to WTM with an updated tourism destination proposal, focused on diversification and working together with the private sector. We are committed to a season that can be extended, especially in spring and autumn, thanks to good connectivity, a complementary offer to sun and beach, and favourable weather conditions”.

The British market is the second most important international market for Lloret de Mar. From January to September 2025, the municipality received 104,972 travellers from the United Kingdom, who generated 554,812 overnight stays, with an average stay of 5.3 days.

Lloret Turisme presents the latest developments from Lloret Cycling at Sea Otter Europe Girona 2025

Lloret Turisme was present once again at the Sea Otter Europe Costa Brava-Girona Bike Show 2025, held from 18 to 21 September in Girona. This fair is one of the most important in the world of cycling, and at this year’s event, Lloret presented the latest developments in “Lloret Cycling” to reinforce its position as a leading cycling tourism destination on the Costa Brava.

One of the main new features is the creation of three new road cycling routes, designed for a wider audience. These itineraries, which are less technically and physically demanding, are aimed at more amateur cyclists and all those visitors who want to enjoy a privileged natural environment by bicycle, but without overly demanding routes. The new routes have been validated by Tomi Misser, renowned former world downhill champion and cycling icon, who has highlighted the quality and accessibility of the routes.

In addition, a technical update of the GPS tracks and content of the existing routes has been carried out, with a detailed review of altimetry and tracks to provide more accurate information to users. This update is complemented by the renewal of the image gallery, the updating of the official website www.lloretcycling.com and its dissemination through the Strava platform.

Participation in Sea Otter Europe has allowed Lloret Turisme to present this offer to a specialised audience, operators in the sector and the media, at one of the most important events on the European cycling calendar.

In the words of Lloret de Mar’s Councillor for Tourism, Cristina Aymerich, “our goal is to continue positioning Lloret as a leading destination for sports tourism and cycle tourism. Improving the product, together with public-private collaboration, is key to continuing to grow in this segment and promoting de-seasonality”.

On 27 April, Lloret de Mar hosted the 6th edition of the Gran Fondo Lloret Costa Brava, which brought together more than 850 cyclists, consolidating its position as an essential event for road cycling enthusiasts. In addition, in 2024, more than 100,000 people linked to sports tourism visited the destination, with more than 15 establishments certified in cycle tourism by the Catalan Tourism Agency, offering specialised services designed for cyclists.

Also noteworthy is the Corriols de l’Àvia mountain bike race, organised by the Peña Ciclista de Lloret cycling club, which will take place on 23 November and has established itself as an unmissable event for mountain bike enthusiasts.

With these initiatives, Lloret de Mar is consolidating its leadership in sports tourism and committing to a sustainable, diversified and active model throughout the year.