The future of Ibiza's tourism industry will be the focus of an important professional gathering on Thursday, November 12, as the Centro Cultural de Jesús hosts the XIII Foro Turismo Ibiza.
Organised by Santa Eulària Empresarial and Ajuntament de Santa Eulària des Riu, the annual forum brings together tourism professionals, public institutions, business leaders, technology specialists and international experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry.
This year's edition takes place under the theme Decisiones de futuro (Decisions for the Future), with a particular focus on how destinations can move beyond traditional visitor-number strategies and build tourism models that generate greater economic value, improve competitiveness and strengthen the local economy.
Natalia Bayona to Address the Future of Global Tourism
One of the principal speakers is Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of UN Tourism, who will present El turismo que viene (The Tourism to Come).
Her contribution will explore the changes transforming international tourism, including artificial intelligence, technological innovation, investment, education, talent and evolving traveller expectations.
As destinations increasingly rely on data and new technologies to understand visitor behaviour, the presentation will consider how these developments could influence tourism planning and the decisions made by businesses and public authorities.
Artificial Intelligence and Data in Tourism Management
The first major discussion, titled ¿Quién decide el futuro de un destino? (Who Decides the Future of a Destination?), will examine how artificial intelligence, tourism intelligence and predictive data can improve destination management.
The confirmed panel includes:
-
Elizabeth Keegan, Director General of Lloret Turisme.
-
Marcos Pampliega, Cities and Territories Manager at Minsait (Indra).
-
Ana Lafuente, Deputy Assistant Director for Tourism Knowledge and Studies at Turespaña.
-
Christophe Ramaciotti, Sales Director at Amadeus.
The discussion will be moderated by destination strategy consultant Raúl García López.
Topics include the use of visitor data to improve planning, anticipating tourism trends and flows, and helping destinations make more informed decisions.
The discussion also considers the responsibilities of public administrations, destination management organisations and technology companies in developing more intelligent approaches to tourism.
José Elías Examines Business Decisions and Investment
The programme also features a conversation with businessman and investor José Elías Navarro, President of Audax Renovables.
His contribution, Las decisiones de hoy, el futuro de mañana (Today's Decisions, Tomorrow's Future), focuses on the importance of strategic decision-making in an increasingly uncertain business environment.
The conversation will consider the role of innovation, artificial intelligence, investment, profitability and the ability of businesses to identify new opportunities.
His perspective adds a business and investment dimension to the wider discussion about how Ibiza and other destinations can remain competitive in a changing tourism landscape.
From Attracting Visitors to Creating Greater Economic Value
The second roundtable, De atraer turistas a crear valor (From Attracting Tourists to Creating Value), will examine how destinations can move towards tourism models that deliver stronger economic returns.
Rather than concentrating exclusively on visitor numbers, the discussion will explore tourism profitability, visitor spending, pricing, tourism products, experiences, commercialisation and changing consumer behaviour.
The confirmed panel includes:
-
Mariano Juan, First Vice-President of the Consell d'Eivissa and executive councillor responsible for territory, tourism planning, mobility, road infrastructure and combating illegal activity.
-
Inmaculada Benito, Director of the Tourism, Culture and Sport Department at CEOE.
-
Fernando Garasa López, CEO and founder of Sergestur.
-
Sinead McKevitt, Chain Manager and Contracting at Jet2 and Jet2holidays.
-
Ricardo Fernández, CEO of Destinia.
The session will be moderated by Manuel Molina, director of Hosteltur.
The discussion is particularly relevant to destinations such as Ibiza, where tourism plays a central role in the economy and where questions surrounding profitability, sustainability, business competitiveness and the value generated for residents remain important.
VI Foro Turismo Ibiza Awards
The 2026 edition will also include the sixth Foro Turismo Ibiza Awards, recognising achievements, professional careers and projects associated with the tourism industry.
The awards form part of the wider conference programme, complementing the discussions with recognition of contributions to the sector.
Event Details: XIII Foro Turismo Ibiza 2026
-
Event: XIII Foro Turismo Ibiza
-
Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026
-
Theme: Decisiones de futuro
-
Venue: Centro Cultural de Jesús
-
Address: Carrer del Faisà 7, Jesús, Santa Eulària
-
Published programme hours: 09:00–13:30
-
Overall venue event window advertised by the organiser: 08:00–13:30
-
Organisers: Santa Eulària Empresarial and Ajuntament de Santa Eulària des Riu
-
Admission: Free
-
Registration: Advance registration required
The XIII Foro Turismo Ibiza provides a platform for professionals and institutions to exchange ideas about the decisions that will shape the next phase of the island's tourism development, placing technology, economic value and local competitiveness at the centre of the conversation.