XIII Foro Turismo Ibiza Brings Industry Leaders to Jesús to Debate the Future of Tourism

11 November 2026

The future of Ibiza's tourism industry takes centre stage today, Thursday, 12 November, as the Centre Cultural de Jesús hosts the 13th edition of Foro Turismo Ibiza. Under the theme Decisiones de futuro (Decisions for the Future), the event brings together national tourism experts, business leaders, institutional representatives and industry professionals to examine the decisions that will shape the island's competitiveness and development in the coming years.

Organised by Santa Eulària Empresarial and Santa Eulària Town Council, with support from the Consell Insular d'Eivissa and Ibiza Travel, this year's forum focuses on two major challenges: how artificial intelligence and tourism data can improve destination management, and how Ibiza can move towards a tourism model that creates greater economic and social value.

The event also includes the sixth Foro Turismo Ibiza Awards, recognising outstanding projects, professional careers and individuals contributing to the tourism sector.

Natalia Bayona Opens the Forum with a Global Perspective

The programme features Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of UN Tourism, who will deliver the opening presentation, El turismo que viene (The Tourism to Come).

Drawing on her international experience in tourism innovation, education and investment, Bayona will examine the changes transforming the global industry. Topics include artificial intelligence, data, talent, innovation and evolving traveller behaviour, as well as the decisions destinations and businesses must make to remain competitive.

Her contribution provides an international perspective on the challenges facing Ibiza and other established tourism destinations as technology and changing visitor expectations reshape the sector.

Who Decides the Future of a Tourism Destination?

The first roundtable, ¿Quién decide el futuro de un destino? (Who Decides the Future of a Destination?), will examine how artificial intelligence, tourism intelligence and data analysis are changing the way destinations are managed and planned.

The discussion will explore how visitor information can be turned into practical decisions, how predictive tools can help anticipate changes in demand and tourism flows, and how public administrations, destination managers and technology companies can make better use of available data.

The panel will be moderated by Raúl García López, a destination strategy consultant, and will feature:

  • 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.

José Elías on Business Decisions in Times of Uncertainty

The programme also features entrepreneur 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), will consider how business leaders make strategic choices in an environment shaped by constant change and uncertainty.

Drawing on his experience across different business sectors, Elías will explore the relationship between data, experience and intuition, alongside the role of innovation, artificial intelligence, investment and profitability in identifying opportunities and maintaining competitiveness.

From Attracting Tourists to Creating Greater Value

The second roundtable, De atraer turistas a crear valor (From Attracting Tourists to Creating Value), addresses one of the central questions facing Ibiza's tourism industry: how to generate stronger returns for businesses, the local economy and residents without relying exclusively on increasing visitor numbers.

The discussion will cover tourism profitability, visitor spending, pricing, tourism products, commercialisation, experiences and changing demand. It will also consider what makes a destination competitive and how the benefits of tourism can be distributed more effectively across businesses and the wider community.

Moderated by Manuel Molina, director of Hosteltur, the panel will bring together:

  • Mariano Juan, First Vice-President of the Consell Insular 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 discussion reflects a wider shift in tourism strategy, from measuring success primarily through visitor volumes towards examining spending, business performance, local economic impact and the value generated for residents.

Sixth Foro Turismo Ibiza Awards

The XIII Foro Turismo Ibiza will conclude with the sixth edition of the Foro Turismo Ibiza Awards.

The awards will recognise three areas of achievement: the best tourism project of the year, a career or contribution that has helped develop the sector, and the work of an outstanding tourism professional.

The awards form part of the forum's wider objective of recognising the people and initiatives contributing to the development of tourism in Ibiza.

Event Details: XIII Foro Turismo Ibiza 2026

  • Date: Thursday, 12 November 2026

  • Venue: Centre Cultural de Jesús, Santa Eulària des Riu

  • Theme: Decisiones de futuro

  • Organisers: Santa Eulària Empresarial and Santa Eulària Town Council

  • Supporting organisations: Consell Insular d'Eivissa and Ibiza Travel

  • Admission: Free, with advance registration required

  • Live streaming: Available through the official forum website

The XIII Foro Turismo Ibiza provides a platform for the island's tourism industry to discuss how technology, investment, competitiveness and local economic value will influence its future, placing the focus on the decisions that destinations and businesses need to make today.

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