The Exceltur Member Assembly held yesterday in Palma de Mallorca confirmed the appointment of Juan Orti, the President of American Express Spain, as the new leader of the Alliance for Tourism Excellence, succeeding Gabriel Escarrer, who concludes his tenure after seven years dedicated to strengthening and promoting the Spanish tourism sector. Exceltur particularly acknowledged Escarrer’s work, emphasizing his leadership during the pandemic crisis and his role in advocating for the sector’s interests, including proposals and measures to recover tourism activities.

Under Escarrer’s guidance, the initiative “Tourism That Adds” was launched, aimed at enhancing the tourism sector’s reputation and recognizing its economic, social, and territorial contributions, reinforcing its role as a driver of prosperity, employment, and cohesion in Spain. During his presidency, Escarrer established Exceltur as a leading forum for analyzing and proposing solutions for Spanish tourism, enhancing its institutional dialogue and pushing towards a more competitive, sustainable tourism model with greater added value.

The assembly also highlighted Juan Orti’s leadership, who now assumes the presidency with full support from all members. With extensive experience in the financial and service sectors, Orti oversees the card issuing business across several European nations and serves as the president of the American Business Council in Spain, providing him with a comprehensive view of the tourism ecosystem, traveler behavior, and challenges associated with digital transformation and competitiveness.

In this new phase, Orti aims to solidify Exceltur as a reference point for analyzing and promoting initiatives that enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of Spanish tourism, maintaining constructive dialogue between the public and private sectors to consolidate Spain’s status as an international tourist destination. With this transition, Exceltur reaffirms its commitment to collaborate with administrations and sector stakeholders towards a more competitive, responsible tourism model that generates prosperity for destinations and communities.