Despite the significant role of the tourism and agri-food sectors within the industry of Castile and León, other sectors are beginning to emerge strongly: renewable energy, chemical-pharmaceutical, and aeronautical. In this way, Castile and León is establishing itself, as the Regional Minister of Industry, Trade, and Tourism points out, as a "leading and competitive region in productive sectors."
– The two most important industrial sectors in the Community of Castilla y León have been the automotive and agri-food sectors for years, don't you think the areas of economic development in the region should be diversified?
Indeed, both the automotive and agri-food sectors are very important in our region and are constantly adapting to changing times, but they are not the only ones. Alongside them, and very important for Castile and León from an economic standpoint, in terms of job creation, etc., we must also highlight several sectors such as renewable energy, which constitutes a strategic hub of extraordinary importance at the national level, both in terms of its production volume and the diversity of its energy resources.
In recent years, there has been significant development, and today it is a growing sector that is becoming increasingly important from an economic standpoint. Proof of this is that in 2002, Castile and León led the way in wind farm construction in Spain, installing 35% of the country's total capacity.
Other sectors also exist, such as the chemical-pharmaceutical industry, with the presence of multinational companies in this sector that have significant export activity, and telecommunications. Thus, despite the difficult times the telecommunications sector is experiencing globally, it is a growing sector in Castile and León with very good prospects. Castile and León is already home to major companies such as Telefónica R&D and Vodafone.
And, of course, a key and defining sector of our region is tourism, which has become one of the driving forces of our economy in recent years, not only due to the increase in the number of tourists visiting us, but also because of the quality and variety of the tourism offerings in Castile and León. Tourism is one of the most dynamic sectors in our region, having demonstrated a great capacity to generate employment and wealth, given the wide range of leisure, cultural, and nature-based activities available. Furthermore, Castile and León is the national leader in inland tourism. This is an area of tourism where we have much to offer visitors to our region, where they will receive quality service and can enjoy a rich and varied gastronomy, a wide variety of natural landscapes, and immense cultural wealth.
Finally, another important sector is aeronautics. It's one of the Regional Government's key initiatives for diversifying the region's industrial base. At the end of 2002, an agreement was signed with Airbus to support the development of the new passenger aircraft being developed by the European industry.
– 21 new ADE centers have opened, is the aim to create more companies and help them stay afloat?
It's important to keep in mind that one of the Economic Development Agency's (ADE) top priorities is attracting investment and then effectively managing grants. To achieve this, it's crucial to "bring the ADE to the people," moving beyond simply viewing it as a grant management tool. Therefore, since the end of last year, in addition to the existing provincial offices, we have launched 21 new Business Promotion Centers located in different functional areas of each province, with the aim of bringing the ADE closer to rural communities. These centers, representing an investment of one million euros, will complement the work of the offices, providing SMEs in major population centers with all the information they need to launch entrepreneurial projects or expand and modernize existing ones. With these centers, every corner of the region will now have access to the support and advice of the ADE and the Regional Ministry of Industry.
– Last year around 40 trade missions were organized, what plans are there for this year?
The Regional Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, through the Economic Development Agency, launched the Internationalization Plan last year in collaboration with the Regional Council of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Confederation of Business Organizations of Castile and León (CECALE), the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade, and EXCAL. This plan serves businesses in Castile and León and represents a commitment to internationalization as a means of increasing the competitiveness of the regional economy.
This Plan defines a series of strategies and objectives, which are developed through specific actions aimed at companies in the Community.
Within this Plan, the Chambers of Commerce will carry out more than 44 trade promotion activities throughout 2003, divided into different actions such as 34 direct trade missions, reverse trade missions, various international trade fairs, catalog exhibitions and trade fair visits. EXCAL, one of the ADE's public companies dedicated to promoting Castilian-Leonese companies abroad, organizing visits by foreign businesspeople and distributors to the region, and prospecting for foreign markets to introduce companies to the region, will also be present at three international trade fairs. The ADE subsidizes the expenses of companies, corresponding to a promotion plan developed by the companies themselves, through its internationalization aid program. Castile and León is a leader and competitive in many productive sectors and must take advantage of the market opportunities offered to our companies, where they can find a competitive niche and the recognition deserved by our businesspeople.
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