Two regional ministers led the Asturias tourism delegation at an event in Dublin to mark the new Aer Lingus service to the northern Spanish region.
The Asturias delegation was led by Lara Martínez Fernández- Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Government of Asturias Region, Jorge Garcia LopezDeputy Minister Transport and Infrastructure of the Government of Asturias Region, Tatiana Gonzalez Salas director of Asturias tourism and famous cheese maker Jose Angel. An invited audience form the Irish travel trade and media were told that Astruia’s objectives focus on sustainable tourism growth, product diversification and the promotion of Asturias’ natural, cultural and gastronomic assets to drive inbound visitor numbers.
Jenny Rafter of Aer Lingus spoke at the event while the airline was also represented by Timothy Trixer, Network Manager, Aer Lingus. Lara Pena, director of the Spanish tourist board in Dublin, co-hosted the event and the office was represented by Kathryn MacDonnell and Sara Rivero.
Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Government of the Principality of Asturias Lara Martínez Fernández gave a presentation on the part of the visitors. Born in Gijón in 1978, she holds a degree in History and Music Sciences from the University of Oviedo and trained at the Professional Conservatory of Music. She leads initiatives that promote Asturias as a tourist destination with a focus on digitalisation, sustainability and cultural heritage through projects such as the Turismo Tech Lab.
Jorge García López, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Government of the Principality of Asturias, previously held the role of Director General of Mobility and Infrastructure and served as President of AeroAsturias, an association dedicated to the promotion of air connections for the region. His objectives include the expansion of transport links, both domestic and international, to facilitate trade, tourism and regional accessibility.
Tatiana González Salas, Director of Asturias Tourism and heads the marketing and commercialisation department at the Sociedad Pública de Gestión y Promoción Turística y Cultural del Principado de Asturias, holds a Masters in Tourism Management and Planning, she possesses extensive experience in destination promotion. She actively participates in international events and trade fairs to position Asturias in new markets.
Jose Angel operates as a cheese maker in Asturias, contributing to the region’s renowned artisan food production. Asturias produces a wide variety of traditional cheeses, often through small-scale family operations that preserve ancestral methods, and local shellfish such as clams form part of the distinctive coastal gastronomy.
Kathryn MacDonnell with Irish travel trade representatives Eva Pla- Fabregas of Caminoways, Des Abbott of Des Abbott travel, Mary denton of Sunway, Laura Pena of the Spanish tourist office and Yvonne O’Donohue of O’Donohue Travel Gorey.l
Spain region by region
Almería – Andalusia – Aragón – Asturias – Basque Country – Cádiz – Cantabria – Catalonia – Córdoba – Extremadura – Fuerteventura – Galicia – Gran Canaria – Granada – Huelva – Ibiza – Jaén – La Mancha – La Rioja – Lanzarote – León – Madrid – Majorca – Málaga – Menorca – Murcia – Navarra – Seville – Tenerife – Valencia –
