Once again this year, the Lleida region is a key destination for water, land, and air sports, which take over from the ski season, which ended at Easter.
The 2014 active tourism and adventure sports season in the Lleida region begins with 223 companies, distributed across all 13 regions of Lleida, offering their services in land, air, and water activities. This figure represents an 8% increase compared to the number of companies at the start of last year's season, when there were 206, and a 23% increase compared to 2012, when there were 171. For yet another year, the Lleida region maintains its leadership in Spain in this field and constitutes a key reference point for water, land, and air activities.
The adventure sports season practically takes over from the ski season, which ended at Easter. The 2014 season began with a total of 223 companies distributed across the 13 regions of Lleida, which, in a unique landscape setting, offer a wide variety of activities of varying difficulty and designed for all types and ages.
The Tourist Board of the Lleida Provincial Council, together with the Pallars Sobirà Adventure Sports Business Association, the Llavorsí City Council, and the Pallars Sobirà Regional Council, launched the 2014 season of adventure sports and active tourism in the Lleida region at a presentation event held in Llavorsí, Pallars Sobirà.
The event was attended by the President of the Lleida Provincial Council, Joan Reñé; the President of the Pallars Sobirà Regional Council, Llàtzer Sibis; the President of the Pallars Sobirà Adventure Sports Business Association, Florido Dolcet; the Vice President of the Provincial Council's Tourist Board and Mayor of Rialp, Gerard Sabarich; and the Director, Jordi Blanch. Also in attendance were several presidents of the Lleida regional councils, mayors of the Pallars Sobirà region, and the heads of the companies that participated in the exhibition and the display of activities at this presentation.
The President of the Lleida Provincial Council, Joan Reñé, highlighted the positive outlook for the new active tourism and adventure sports season in the Lleida region. One of the factors that predict a successful season is the large water reserves, which will guarantee the season for river activities. Reñé explained that the heavy winter snowfall offers unbeatable conditions for water-related activities, which practically guarantees the season for river activities and at the same time will allow for larger and longer water quotas, particularly for regulated activities on the Noguera Pallaresa River. This year, 37% more cubic hectometers of water have been recorded in the form of snow than last year.
Furthermore, the latest occupancy data indicate a change in trend, as the number of visitors and overnight stays in the Lleida district as a whole have increased over the last six months. Specifically, from September to February, the number of overnight stays increased by 4% and the number of visitors by 5% compared to the same six months of the previous year.
Active tourism activities in the 13 regions of Lleida
The 223 companies starting the 2014 season represent an 8% increase compared to last year's number of 206 companies, and a 23% increase compared to 2012's number of 171.
According to a study conducted by the Lleida Provincial Council's Tourist Board, of the 223 active tourism and adventure sports companies currently offering their services in the Lleida district, 174 are located in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, and 49 are located in the Lleida plain. This past year has seen significant growth in the number of companies in the Lleida plain, increasing from 37 to 49, representing a 31% increase.
Regarding the previous season's results, it should be noted that companies offered approximately 610,000 active tourism services, with a notable increase in land-based activities at the expense of water-based activities. Companies offered approximately 300,000 land-based activities, 300,000 water-based activities, and approximately 10,000 aerial activities. It should be noted that the decrease in water-based activities was a result of last year's summer floods, but water-based activities are expected to rebound again this season.
Rafting , canyoning, hydrospeeding, and kayaking for water activities; horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking for land activities; and paragliding for aerial activities continue to form the backbone of service bookings in this sector, which, however, offers a wide range of more than 50 different activities.
The economic impact of the sector amounts to 66.1 million euros
The economic impact of this sector is €66.1 million (considering revenue from the activity itself, accommodation, and catering). If we consider only the services offered by companies in the sector, the turnover is €24.8 million. Adventure sports employ 1,700 people, of whom approximately 620 work full-time, approximately 380 work part-time, and approximately 700 are primarily self-employed.
The majority of active tourism companies' clients visiting the Lleida region continue to be from Catalonia (75%), especially Barcelona and its metropolitan area, followed by those from Tarragona and Lleida. Another 15% come from other autonomous communities—primarily Madrid, the Basque Country, and Valencia—while 10% correspond to the foreign market and are primarily of French, Dutch, and English origin, not to mention Japanese, American, and Israeli clients.
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