MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar government and private operators at Tourism Fair in Madrid

The Rock receives eight million visitors and 400.000 cruise passengers annually

The Gibraltar Tourist Board is currently exhibiting at the 30th edition of FITUR (Feria Internacional de Turismo) in Madrid which officially opened this week. It is being held over four days until 24 January. The exhibition is targeted at tourism industry professionals for the first three days, and then opens to the general public for the final two days, at the weekend, and is always very well supported.

A team from the Gibraltar Tourist Board is managing the Gibraltar stand providing a platform for the representatives of Gibraltar’s travel and tourism industry to meet their clients or prospective clients. Co-exhibiting with the Gibraltar Tourist Board this year are: Andalus Lineas Aereas, Bland Group of Companies, Emile Youth Hostel, Gib Sun Club, Gibraltar Taxi Association, MH Bland Group of Companies, The O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel, Parodytur/ Parody Holidays and Transcoma Lines.

Precisely Transcoma Lines, the company operating maritime links with the Algeciras port after an interruption of 40 years, will be launching Thursday the recently introduced catamaran service at the Gibraltar stand in FITUR – the international tourism trade fair takes place in Madrid.

According to the company the first month of operation has been “a total success and enjoyed the support of public institutions and private companies on both sides.”

Transcoma says this is an opportunity to introduce the passenger and metropolitan service to the global travel industry.

“Gibraltar receives almost eight million visitors and 400,000 cruise passengers each year. Our aim is to stimulate cross-border tourist activity in a decisive fashion and also offer a low cost public service – below six euros — for the Campo de Gibraltar area. We will also be introducing special rates and discounts for weekly and monthly travelling,” said a spokesman.

Transcoma is also considering introducing a specific service for Spanish workers on the Rock and also, in response to requests from the Gibraltar authorities, a daily facility for Moroccans transiting through the Algeciras port to Tangier.

“Legal details are now under discussion and we are hopeful this will be confirmed over the next few months,” added the company. (Gibraltar Chronicle).-