Barcelona (Spain) strengthens its leadership in Luxury Tourism with the Vir

Barcelona (Spain) strengthens its leadership in Luxury Tourism with the Virtuoso Symposium

16-04-25

Barcelona has reinforced its position as a hub of luxury tourism by hosting this week’s annual Virtuoso Symposium, organized by Turisme de Barcelona. Virtuoso is the leading global network of high-end travel agencies, and the event brought together over 300 owners and executives from agencies specializing in the premium segment, along with Virtuoso’s global executive board, for a series of meetings aimed at strengthening strategic alliances and positioning the city as a destination for exclusive experiences.

Throughout the week, Barcelona became the epicenter of meetings, networking activities, and social events designed to foster collaboration between Virtuoso members and local stakeholders. One of the highlights was the official gala dinner held on May 12 at the historic Llotja de Mar, attended by 100 guests from some of the most influential agencies in the sector, along with the 15 Virtuoso members from Barcelona and Catalonia, and representatives from the Catalan Tourist Board, La Roca Village, El Corte Inglés, and several of the city's luxury hotels.

The symposium program also included working sessions between Turisme de Barcelona and Virtuoso teams, with the aim of reinforcing the preferential relationship that Barcelona has maintained with Virtuoso for the past 16 years. Additionally, attendees boarded a luxury cruise bound for Marseille, with stops in Portofino and Monaco, featuring networking events and business meetings on board.

Virtuoso is a network of luxury travel agencies with over 1,200 agencies and 21,000 advisors in more than 50 countries, generating more than $5 billion in annual sales. The long-standing partnership with Turisme de Barcelona as a Preferred Partner Destination has played a key role in strengthening the city’s presence in the luxury tourism market.

This event is part of Barcelona’s broader strategy to position itself as Europe’s capital of luxury tourism. According to Virtuoso’s latest ranking, the city holds the second spot in Europe, just behind Paris. In 2025, Barcelona will host five major international events focused on the premium segment: Private Luxury Forum Europe and Connections Luxury (April); the Virtuoso Symposium (this week); the Financial Times Business of Luxury Summit (next week); and the Monocle Quality of Life Conference (in September).

The city has experienced significant growth in its luxury hotel offering, with a 50% increase in five-star beds between 2012 and 2022. Today, Barcelona has 445 hotels providing a total of 78,083 beds, of which 17% are five-star or grand luxury. This expansion is driving investment in the sector, which reached nearly €100 million in the first half of 2024.

Among the landmark hotels contributing to this growth are the Hotel Arts Barcelona, a 154-meter skyscraper located in the Olympic Port and managed by Ritz-Carlton, and the Grand Hyatt Barcelona, formerly the Hotel Princesa Sofia, which underwent a complete renovation in 2017 and joined Hyatt’s Unbound Collection in December 2018.

Another icon of luxury is the Majestic Hotel & Spa, inaugurated in 1918 and located on the renowned Passeig de Gràcia. Owned by the Soldevila family, it is part of the Majestic Hotel Group, which also includes high-end properties in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.

The Virtuoso Symposium in Barcelona not only reinforces the city’s position on the global luxury tourism map but also highlights its capacity to attract high-profile international events. With a steadily growing luxury hotel offering and a clear strategy to position itself as a premium destination, Barcelona continues to strengthen its leadership in the luxury tourism sector.

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