What will luxury tourism of the future be like? The outlook is painted by Coming Up!

Spain is undergoing a transformation in its luxury tourism model. Exclusivity is no longer measured solely by hotel categories, gastronomic recognitions, or extraordinary services, but also by the opportunity to discover less-traveled places, establish connections with local culture, and enjoy experiences tailored around each traveler’s interests.

This change in perspective has been the focus of the fifth edition of Coming Up!, the event organized by SIE – Spain is Excellence, which brought together nearly 300 professionals and representatives from companies and institutions at the VP Plaza España Design Hotel in Madrid to analyze the future of excellence tourism.

One of the most revealing data points of the day was the evolution of highly qualified expatriates in Spain, who increased from approximately 43,000 in 2021 to more than 163,000 in 2025, according to figures presented by the organization. This growth places this group on the tourism industry’s radar, not only because of their consumption capacity but also due to their influence on the travel decisions of their personal and professional networks.

Barcelona concentrates 31% of these international residents, followed by Madrid with 24%, and Málaga with 11%. Their presence strengthens Spain’s appeal as a place to live, work, and enjoy an increasingly sophisticated cultural, gastronomic, and hotel offering.

The evolution of premium tourism demands a different approach to the client. New international residents seek proposals adapted to their preferences, trusted relationships, and attention combining discretion, flexibility, and destination knowledge.

During the panel "Spain as Home and Destination: The New Vision of the Expat Traveler," Helena Lamers, International Markets Director of SIE, highlighted the role of these profiles as experience prescribers and pointed out the 40% annual growth of digital nomads. The conversation also included contributions from Alba Lucía Reyes Contreras, from Café Juan Valdez Spain; Roger Cooke, from the Hispanic-British Foundation; and Sonsoles González-Ferro, founder of SGF Club.

From their interventions emerges a relevant idea for the sector: attracting the high-value traveler requires building a relationship that goes beyond a punctual stay. Safety, integration into communities, quality of service, and access to differential experiences are part of a proposal that seeks to generate loyalty and long-term recommendations.

In this scenario, hospitality acquires a more personal dimension. Knowing the guest, anticipating their needs, and creating experiences consistent with their interests become fundamental tools for differentiation.

The fight against tourism overcrowding poses another major challenge for the sector. The most renowned destinations maintain their appeal, but the need grows to expand itineraries and distribute visitor flows toward territories offering heritage, nature, gastronomy, and local experiences.

The panel "Getting off the Crowds: The Destination Begins Where the Line Ends," moderated by Noemi Navas, senior economics editor at La Vanguardia, explored various ways to move toward this model.

Núria Perich, head of the Spanish and Portuguese market at the Catalan Tourism Agency, presented the Grand Tour of Catalonia as an example of how to transform a trip between well-known destinations into a multi-day journey through less-explored landscapes, towns, and cultural proposals.

Fernando Márquez de la Plata, founder and CEO of Inspiring Soho, advocated a slower way of traveling, where the goal is not to accumulate visited places but to deepen each experience. His approach is summed up in one idea: "Fewer places, but live them more."

The trend opens new opportunities for rural destinations, local producers, wineries, independent hotels, and companies specializing in experiences. It also invites a review of travel design, with itineraries encouraging longer stays and a closer relationship with the territory.

The challenge is to avoid that the search for alternative places reproduces the same saturation problems that it seeks to solve. Tourism distribution must be accompanied by quality proposals and planning that takes into account the particularities of each community.

The transformation also reaches hotels, which expand their traditional role to become spaces for cultural, social, and creative activity.

Collaboration with fashion brands, cultural companies, and sustainability-linked projects enriches the guest experience and attracts audiences who do not necessarily stay at the hotel. Exhibitions, meetings, creative collaborations, and year-round programming contribute to building a distinct identity and a more active relationship with the destination.

In the panel "The Power of Alliances," Andrés Aberasturi, CEO and founder of Pelonio Group, emphasized the growing importance of cultural programming in hotels. Andrea de Juan, marketing director of Silbon, addressed the value of strategic collaborations between brands, while Laura del Pozo, Communication and Public Relations Director of Rosewood Villa Magna, presented initiatives integrating art, fashion, and sustainability into the hotel experience.

These alliances respond to an evolution of the luxury concept: the traveler seeks spaces with personality, capable of offering more than accommodation and generating reasons to return. The identity of the establishment, its programming, and its relationship with the community thus gain increasing weight in purchase decisions.

Gastronomy is another field where this transformation is manifested. Culinary excellence remains a fundamental attraction for Spain, but the contemporary experience incorporates new nuances: greater naturalness in service, connection with local products, and a more direct relationship between cuisine, territory, and diner.

During the panel "Gastronomy as a Destination: Evolution and Trends," moderated by Germán Jiménez, Director of New Editorial Verticals at El Español, Alberto de Luna, food critic and restaurant entrepreneur, noted the rise of so-called "informal luxury" and pointed to a possible decline in the prominence of traditional tasting menus.

The change does not imply abandoning excellence but exploring other ways to express it. Product quality, restaurant personality, team closeness, and the ability to create memories can be as decisive as the technical complexity of a culinary proposal.

Soraia Durán, owner and director of Suite Agency, stressed the importance of personalized attention, while Mireia Alum, director of Culinary Spain, highlighted gastronomy as a tool to attract visitors year-round and give visibility to lesser-known destinations.

Collaboration between restaurants, wineries, producers, and cultural agents allows articulating experiences that go beyond the table. A meal can become the gateway to a region, its traditions, and a particular way of understanding life.

The conclusions of Coming Up! point to a redefinition of luxury tourism in Spain. The sector faces the challenge of creating proposals capable of combining excellence, personalization, and authenticity, while contributing to better distribute the benefits of tourism and strengthen the relationship between visitors and destinations.

During the opening of the event, Ana Alonso, CEO of SIE – Spain is Excellence, defended the need to evolve toward a model that generates greater value for territories through differentiation, quality of experiences, and the use of the country’s cultural, gastronomic, and natural heritage.

The growth of highly qualified international residents adds a new dimension to this evolution. Their presence reinforces the connection between tourism and lifestyle and fosters demand that is not limited to vacations but incorporates the continuous discovery of the country and its various regions.

The fifth edition of Coming Up! thus consolidates its role as a forum for exchange between companies and institutions committed to excellence tourism. With the support of the Catalan Tourism Agency, Banco Sabadell, and VP Plaza España Design, the event has brought to the table a central issue for the sector’s future: how to generate more value without depending exclusively on volume.