The tourist offices of the Region of Murcia registered a 40 percent increase in visitors in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year, reaching a total of 376,438 users.
During the first half of the year, the offices offered 399,524 services, 36 percent more, with the Cartagena tourist office 'Palacio Consistorial' in first place with 44 percent of visitors received from the total network and with 45 percent of the total services provided, followed by the offices of Lorca, with 39 percent of visitors, and Murcia, with 30 percent.
Regarding the origin of the people who used this service, 37 percent came from other autonomous communities, 31 percent from other municipalities in the Region and 31 percent from abroad, registering significant increases in all three categories.
British and Madrid residents were the majority of users internationally and nationally.
British tourists were the main international users of tourist offices during the first half of the year (16 percent), followed by Germans (eight percent) and French (seven percent).
By nationality, the users of the regional tourist offices that have increased the most were Germans, followed by Dutch and Americans.
As for national visitors, Madrid residents were the ones who visited the region's tourist offices the most this year, ahead of those from Alicante and Valencia.
The most requested information was primarily cultural, with a total of 261,832 requests; the tourist map, with 228,550 requests; and, in third place, about 'festivals and events', with a total of 78,142 requests.
The data analyzed indicates a growing preference for information about local culture and city attractions, as well as events and festivals. In this regard, the main reasons given for visiting were culture, cruises, sun and beach, and festivals and events.
The acting Minister of the Presidency, Tourism, Culture, Youth, Sports and Spokesperson, Marcos Ortuño, pointed out that tourist offices “play a key role, both in the process of welcoming travelers and in providing tourist information to those who visit us, constituting an essential factor in the success of the stay and in the level of satisfaction.”
In this regard, he highlighted that "they have become cross-cutting elements and of vital importance within the current regional tourism model," promoted by the Community and the Strategic Tourism Plan 2022-2032.
A network of 36 offices
The network of tourist offices in the Region of Murcia, established in 2002 and managed by the Tourism Institute of the Region of Murcia (Itrem), consists of 36 permanent offices and information points and 10 temporary information points.
Furthermore, it has the 'S for Sustainable Tourism' certification that accredits compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in tourism organizations, becoming the first autonomous community with a certified network and a total of 28 offices and information points with this distinction.
This recognition is in addition to the 'Q for tourism quality' distinction that the network has had since 2021, positioning the Region of Murcia in third place, after the Valencian Community and Andalusia, in tourist offices certified with this standard.
Source: CARM.
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