LOTUS APPOINTED BY VISIT VALENCIA

Travel specialist consultancy, LOTUS, has been appointed by Visit Valencia, the tourism promotional body of the region and city of Valencia to handle PR & Marketing in the UK & Ireland with immediate effect. Objectives include raising the profile of the destination amongst British and Irish consumers, whilst supporting with the Covid-19 tourism recovery.

Valencia is Spain’s third largest city and the capital of the region of Valencia. An ideal short break destination, the city boasts stunning contemporary architecture including the City of Arts & Sciences, a charming old quarter, white sand beaches, vibrant festivals and events, and a rich gastronomic heritage (including its status as the birthplace of paella). Outside of the city, the region is surrounded with verdant mountains, rice fields, freshwater lagoons, historic villages and a coastline stretching 125km and encompassing the Costa del Azahar (also known as the Orange Blossom coast) and the Costa Blanca.

In 2019, the region of Valencia welcomed over 9.5 million visitors. The region currently has the lowest infection rate in the whole of Spain with 40 cases per 100,000 residents (versus a rate of 114 per 100,000 in the United Kingdom) based on data from 6 October). Despite this, UK travel restrictions are still in place for Valencia, including a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone returning to the UK from any area of Spain heavily impacting tourism arrivals.

Eva Fernandez, marketing manager of Visit Valencia says: “We are delighted to be working with LOTUS to help drive awareness and tourism recovery for the region and city of Valencia. It has been a challenging year for our tourism sector, and we hope that this appointment will help put Valencia on the map in the UK & Ireland and drive tourism recovery for Q4 and beyond.”

LOTUS has extensive experience working with Spanish destination clients and currently works with the Spanish National Tourist Office, handling PR, communication & social media, as well as representing a number of other Spanish regions and cities.

Kate McWilliams, MD of LOTUS LATAM; a division of LOTUS focused on Spanish and Latin American clients says, “Valencia is one of Spain’s most vibrant and exciting destinations and in recent years has emerged out of the shadows of Barcelona and Madrid as a top holiday destination for British and Irish holidaymakers. We understand the challenges the tourism industry is currently facing and the impact this is having on the local travel sector in Spain. We look forward to working alongside the team in Valencia to help shape their tourism recovery and hopefully recoup some of the lost tourism revenue to date.”