ANDALUCIA TOURISM NEWS – 25 SEPTEMBER 2002

EXPOTURAL 2002
The Jaén province towns of Úbeda and Baeza have presented their candidature for the UNESCO Patrimonial of Mankind in Expotural – The rural tourism, sports and nature and adventure fair which has just been held in Madrid. They are, without doubt, two of the Andalucian cities with the greatest cultural, artistic and architectural potential, and their attractions have been on show in this fair for another year. This eight edition of Expotural, held in the Madrid Casa de Campo, contained more than 250 exhibitors from 14 autonomous communities and five countries, which together presented 23 different activities. More than 70,000 people have enjoyed the many items on offer at the fair, related to nature, trekking, bungee jumping or equestrian sports. Such activities are more and more popular in Andalucía thanks to the diversity of the nature parks which our region offers – ideal stages for the enjoyment of rural tourism. One of the new attractions this year has been the addition of a 10,000 square metre space dedicated to camping. Expotural has been, for yet another year, the best window display for nature tourism in which Andalucía has shown she has so much to offer.

WINE AND CUISINE CONGRESS IN SEVILLE
For a few says Seville has been the best food and dining centre in the world. The fourth Wine and Cuisine congress was held in the city between September 18 and 22 and brought together more than 2,000 professionals from some 30 countries, who discussed the relationship between gastronomy and culture, tourism, the Mediterranean diet and wines of the world. The tourism board of the Junta de Andalucía decided to promote one of the most deeply rooted ways of eating in our autonomous community – the Tapa. In this way the congress has served to promote the roots of the exquisite and varied Andalucian gastronomy to the rest of the world, as well as displaying our agro alimentary industry. It's the first time that an event of this type has been held in Spain - an event where the main distributors and importers from across the world have been able to better get to know the richness of not only Spanish but also Andalucian cuisine.

JAÉN FAIR 2002
The city of Jaén is already preparing to enjoy its grand annual fair. The Feria de San Lucas, which is celebrated between the 12 and 20th of October and which closes the calendar of the major fairs across Spanish cities. As part of the 8 days which the festival runs for this year, special devotion is shown in Friday October 18, the Day of San Lucas the patron saint of Jaén. Musical performances, a great deal of fun and the chance to admire magnificent horses. But if there is something which characterises the Jaén fair, it is the splendid bullfights which have the peculiarity of closing the Andalucian bullfighting year and which count on the most outstanding current matadors. The fairground site known in Jáen as La Vestida, is the place where more than 100 casetas or marquees are erected where the locals and visitors can dance and enjoy themselves into the early hours.

WORLD FLAMENCO FAIR
Seville is currently the capital of flamenco – the place where the best singers and dancers of the moment are coming together. To the Bienal de Flamenco which until October 6th includes the World Flamenco Fair, which this year congregates 100 exhibitors including manufacturers, record companies, managers and so on. The event will offer a total of 24 functions, outstanding among them the first night performances of the works 'La Voz del Silencio' from the Eva La Yerbabuena company and 'Bailografías' from El Mistela. As well as offering shows, this fair, which is being held in the Fibes congress centre in Seville, gives us the most industrial view of flamenco because, as well as the art itself, flamenco is also a grand industry which creates employment and income. Thanks to the coinciding ongoing Bienal de Flamenco event, the fair between October 3 and 6 is expected to attract more than the 15,000 people seen last year. In addition, with the idea of attracting the attention of international promoters to flamenco, the fair has named the singer and producer Pepe de Lucía as Flamenco Ambassador in the world.

TURES 2002
Andalucía is one of the places which European citizens are choosing as their second home in ever increasing numbers. An increasing market which produces important profits. The Andalucía Residential Tourism Fair will show, between October 10 and 13, the best of residential tourism in our autonomous community in the Marbella exhibition and congress palace. Over these days the fair, presented by the Tourism Councillor, Antonio Ortega, will see the best real estate promoters displaying all their projects in Andalucía, including golf courses and sports facilities. A total of 80 exhibitors in a fair which is expected to attract more than 250 professionals from 60 Andalucian supplying companies. As part of Tures 2002, on October 11 a symposium will also be held in which the subjects most currently related to residential tourism in Andalucía will be debated.

JEREZ CARRIAGES MUSEUM
The grand love for the equestrian world of the inhabitants of Jerez de la Frontera, in Cádiz, is well known, as is the beauty of the Jerez horses which we can admire in the Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art in the town. A school which now also has a Carts and Carriages Museum to add to the already wide offer to tourists in Jerez. This area has just been inaugurated with the presence of the Junta de Andalucía Tourism Councillor, Antonio Ortega, who underlined the importance of the facility given that the most particular and deeply rooted Spanish traditions revolve around the equestrian world. Carriages and carts of all types and decorations which we can admire in this new museum, which also gives us the opportunity to get to know their history and evolution thanks to monitors installed along the site. Peculiar means of transport which attract the attention of the visitors with their luxury and pageantry and which we can now all enjoy in this Carriages Museum in Jerez de la Frontera.

CABO DE GATA CAMPAIGN
The Cabo de Gata-Níjar Nature Park in Almería, attracts a growing number of visitors each year. Along the length of the 70kms of coast, the nature park shows a varied selection of volcanic cliffs which alternate with beaches and coves of all sizes. They all have their great beauty and the quality of their waters in common, which makes them an ideal place for bathing, and thus ever popular. During this summer more than 25,000 people have visited the 38,000 hectare park every day, according to data from the Environment council. The most visited beaches have been Salinas de Cabo de Gata, Genoveses and El Mónsul. With these figures in hand, the tourism board has started a conservation campaign for this natural space. The campaign has the objective of making the visitors aware of the importance of caring for this beautiful open space of Almería province.