Juan Molas has resigned from his role as president of the Mesa del Turismo de España, with Carlos Garrido of CEAV and Ávoris taking over.
His decision was formally communicated to the organization’s members during a General Assembly. Carlos Garrido de la Cierva, who previously served as vice president of the Governing Council and is the president of the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies (CEAV), has assumed the role of acting president.
In accordance with the organisation’s statutes, Garrido has immediately activated the electoral process. This triggers the timeline for submitting candidacies to elect a definitive new president and Governing Council. The elections are expected to take place during the second half of July 2026.End of an Era: Molas, 73, stated that his resignation closes a major professional chapter. He noted that he has successfully achieved the strategic goals he set out to accomplish when he first took office in January
During his six-year tenure, the Mesa del Turismo, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, experienced significant growth and increased political influence:
He grew the employer association from 32 members in 2020 to approximately 150 current members and collaborating companies. Molas spearheaded projects to give Spanish tourism a stronger voice in Brussels. This included registering the lobby in the EU Transparency Register and establishing the European Policy He vocalised key industry concerns, ranging from criticisms of EU travel visa waivers to advocating for domestic flight connectivity and fighting rising airport taxes.
This leadership change occurs at a key moment for the sector as it navigates summer demand, sustainability issues and economic pressures in tourism and hospitality.
