The concern of many experts was if the current economic crisis was going to change or not, the way of making tourism as it was known to the moment. It has changed indeed, although, what has evolved have been the habits of those who travel or want to spend some holyday days, in the sense that travel periods have shorten being scattered through the year including weekend short trips. On the other hand, it can’t be denied that nowadays, customers are much more exigent because they have a deeper knowledge of tourist options and they want to personalize their travel experience. For that reason, each day there is a bigger focus on safe brands that guarantee not only the tourists’ stay but the transportation.

In Spain there are several strong and consolidated brands that provide confidence and safety for tourists in the look for good service in retribution for their money. Two clear examples are Sol-Meliá and Viajes el Corte Inglés. It is maybe for that reason that the renowned travel agency chose Canarias and specially Tenerife, to celebrate its 40 anniversary, taking the opportunity to organize its special workshop. This was, undoubtedly, and occasion that deserved to be taken as understood the councils of all Canarias’ islands, who saw the opportunity to promote the islands facing the upcoming summer season.

An annual convention of this magnitude, represented by more than three hundred board members and managers of all over Spain, that have in their hands the responsibility of keeping the high standards of such a strong brand, dynamic and exigent, as it is Viajes el Coste Inglés, needed a new but at the same time emblematic and paradisiacal place with a high level of comfort, luxury and peace. Their goal was to have an experience that they could transmit afterwards to their potential customers, who are in a continuous search for the height of comfort. This ideal place happened to be Alcalá, a small fishing town in the south of Tenerife, where on its beautiful ‘Guía de Isora’ Atlantic coast, and in front of the golden silhouette of the ‘de la Gomera’ island, one of the best resorts of the world is located: the Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora Hotel.

Between trips among the island, where they visited other hotel complexes, they enjoyed the most amazing, entertaining and original theme park of the moment, which is the Siam Park, as well as extensive and interesting meetings about the strategies to be taken regarding the tourist future. The hotel staff directed by Ignacio Díaz de Rivera, offered the guests the characteristic hospitality of the Sol-Meliá hotel chain, showing that more than a hotel chain they represent the new style to enjoy life: moonlight dinners accompanied with fine wines, delicious menus from different continents including Canarias’ traditional dishes, music and live shows with fireworks, and the presentation of the different corporative images of the brand Gran Meliá at the access stairs of the ‘Plaza de Europa’ that left an impression on the convention participants and the hotel’s guests.