Sitio web del Consejo Municipal de Madrid
The Madrid City Council has just been recognized with two awards granted by Virtuoso, the global network specialized in High Travel Range. The tourism delegate area received the most involved Continental Europe award from Virtuoso during the Continental European Forum, held between March 19 and 21 in Lucerne (Switzerland), and the largest HIB partner in China, at its regional meeting in Shanghai (China) on March 11 and 12.
This double recognition is the result of a strategy initiated after the institutional trip to New York by the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida. A strategic market for Madrid that became the leading international tourism emitter in the capital.
The tourism CEO, Almudena Maíllo, appreciated this double recognition as «a demonstration of Madrid’s commitment to a tourism model based on excellence, sustainability, and quality.» For Maíllo, «being an active part of the Virtuoso network allowed us to position Madrid as a benchmark destination for high-impact tourism, generating economic impact and well-being for the city.»
In the European Virtuoso Awards, which had its inaugural edition, Madrid outperformed the rest of the candidates: Belmond Trains, Crystal, IC Bellagio Italy, and the Intercontinental Phuket resort. In the case of the Regional Awards for China (second edition) and North and South Asia -est (first edition), the capital shared the award in its category with Charlotte Travel and JTB Corp. Global Assistance.
Additionally, Maíllo emphasized that «these awards encourage us to continue working to strengthen Madrid as a city that offers unique and authentic experiences, meeting the expectations of the most demanding travelers in the world.» The awards also demonstrate the dedication and work carried out by Madrid as a member of Virtuoso. A partnership that, for example, successfully hosted the Virtuoso Capital Latin America and the Caribbean Forum 2024, which took place outside its original region for the first time.
Tourism boost with high impact with Virtuoso
The strategic alliance with Virtuoso promotes high-impact tourism in the capital, in line with Madrid City Council’s quality tourism model. According to a report prepared by the network, the number of Virtuoso travelers choosing Madrid as a destination increased by 88% in 2019. The spending of these visitors is 3.9 times higher than the average. Virtuoso represented an economic impact in Madrid of 184.3 million euros.
Last year, these travelers recorded 73,000 nights, a 21% increase from 2023, with an economic value of 64.8 million euros. Nearly 30% of overnight stays are in hotels not part of the network, accounting for 15.4% of total bookings. The average stay was 3.1 nights.
As part of these excellent tourism strategies, Madrid recently launched the Madrid Tourist Club, a platform to continue positioning the city in international channels and to facilitate collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Regarding trends for this segment, the Virtuoso Luxury Travel Trend Watch: 2025 report highlights the importance of providing travelers with well-being and experiences that include personalized plans based on their mood. It also emphasizes the growing interest in solo travel by women, seeking spontaneous and fun activities and proposals, engaging in rocket sports during vacations, or the need to document their trips to star in their own documentaries. The study also underscores the relevance of multigenerational tourism, noting that this year, seven generations will travel simultaneously for the first time in human history.
