“CATALONIA” AS A QUALITY BRAND IN INDIA,

30112013

BARCELONA-CATALONIA WORKSHOP
25-27 November 2013
PRESS PACK
1
“CATALONIA” AS A QUALITY BRAND IN INDIA, A DESTINATION WITH AN AMAZING LIFESTYLE AND REAL QUALITY OF LIFE, WHERE THERE IS DEFINITELY A “PASSION FOR LIFE”
Catalonia is the perfect destination for cultural, gastronomy, shopping, luxury, cruising, sports events and MICE trips.
•
Catalonia and its capital city, Barcelona, is purely Mediterranean Situated in the North-East of Spain, close to France and Italy.
•
Catalonia is Spain’s top tourist destination and the second most popular in Europe after the Paris region.
•
Along with Spanish, Catalonia has also its own language, Catalan, and its own distinctive identity.
•
The intercontinental airport of Barcelona is the perfect gateway to Catalonia, the rest of Spain and Europe.
•
Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines connect India with Barcelona and Catalonia via Dubai, Doha, and Istanbul, respectively, amongst many other European national carriers.
•
3 additional international airports (Girona, Reus – Tarragona & Lleida – Alguaire) and an extensive modern high-speed rail network also enable Indian visitors to reach from Barcelona destinations such as Valencia, Bilbao, Madrid, Salamanca, Granada, Seville, in Spain, and also Switzerland, London, Edinburgh, Rome, Florence, Venice, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, The French Riviera, The Alps, The Danube River and many other iconic “musts” in Europe.
•
With the Mediterranean Sea as a backdrop, vibrant Barcelona offers a seductive cocktail of beaches, history and a legendary nightlife. 40 minutes away on the road towards the coastal towns of the Costa Brava, La Roca Village is the perfect day trip for sensational shopping and lunch with a distinctive Mediterranean flavour.
2
Catalonia offers the visitor an incredibly diverse range of cultural and natural attractions across its 32,000 square kilometres.
•
Its capital Barcelona is the second largest meetings and events destination in the world and the host of EIBTM, Europe’s main MICE exhibition, Barcelona also hosts the Mobile World Congress, the world’s most important mobile phone event.
•
Catalonia is a land of Mediterranean sea, the Pyrenees mountains, Romanesque World Heritage Site churches, Gaudi’s modernism, shopping, golf, sport, luxury, wellness and some of the best cuisine in the world.
CULTURAL TOURISM
Catalonia’s cultural offer is diverse and allows visitors following the trace of different architectural styles (Romanesque, Gothic, Modernist, etc.), well-known writers and great artistic geniuses such as Dalí, Picasso, Gaudí, Miró and Tàpies.
There are attractive mountain areas like Montseny, a natural park, as well as
Montserrat monastery and mountain which is much more than just a protected natural area.
The following sites in Catalonia have been declared World Heritage by UNESCO:
•
Palau de la Música Catalana. Barcelona. Modernism.
•
Hospital de Sant Pau. Barcelona. Modernism.
•
Poblet Monastery. Tarragona. the largest Cistercian monastery in Europe.
•
Roman Tarraco. Tarragona.
•
Mediterranean cave art in the Iberian Peninsula. There are 27 sites in Catalonia with listed paintings found in caves, grottoes and shelters.
•
Romanesque churches in Vall de Boí. eight churches and one chapel make one of the most significant sets of Catalan Romanesque art regarding both its architecture and paintings
•
The work of Antoni Gaudí:
•
Park Güell. Barcelona. First garden city experience.
•
La Pedrera (Casa Milà). Barcelona.
3
•
Casa Batlló. Barcelona.
•
Sagrada Família. Barcelona. Built between 1884 and 1889, Gaudí’s oldest
•
religious work.
•
La Patum. UNESCO declared the ancestral La Patum festival in Berga (Barcelona), a Masterpiece of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
•
Castellers. A genuine piece of Catalan folk culture featuring up to ten-storey human towers, it was recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.
GASTRONOMY TOURISM
•
Gastronomy is a part of a nation’s cultural heritage. Catalan cuisine dates back to times immemorial, with a long tradition of recipes gathered in ancient handbooks.
•
Catalonia is playing an international leading role in gastronomy. Catalonia features 60 stars in the 2013 Michelin Guide.
•
Topping the list the two restaurants that have received 3 stars: Sant Pau, of Carme Ruscalleda and el Celler de Can Roca, of Joan Roca, which has been recentely named as the best restaurant in the world.
SHOPPING TOURISM
•
La Roca Village is one of the nine Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages in Europe.
•
Chic Outlet Shopping® is the Collection of luxury outlet villages by Value Retail, the only company to specialise exclusively in the development and operation of luxury outlet shopping villages.
•
Currently home to more than 900 boutiques, the Villages offer the authentic previous seasons’ collections of leading luxury fashion and lifestyle brands with savings of up to 60%, and sometimes more, on the recommended retail price, all year round.
4
CRUISE TOURISM
•
Cruise tourism has equally increased considerably in recent years following improvement works in the port, which has become the biggest cruise port in Europe.
•
The Port of Barcelona has 7 international passenger terminals and is the leading european cruiser port and a Mediterranean turnaround base. Last year, 2012, the Port of Barcelona received 2.408.634 creuse passangers.
OTHER TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:
CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA – CATALUNYA– Racing Track
The Catalonia – Barcelone Speed Circuit has set itself up as a modern sports facilities, serving as the venue for the most important motor sport events of the world such as the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix and the Catalan MotoGP Grand Prix. But the Circuit is not only about passion for speed; it also offers the chance to organise all kinds of events and activities for companies thanks to the multi-purpose facilities.
•
Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya has 22 years’ experience organising events at the highest levels of the motor racing world, Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix and the Catalan MotoGP Grand Prix being the best examples.
•
The Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya is the port of entry for Formula 1 in Europe and it is the chance to get a live shot of the drivers and teams who bring us the most spectacular motor racing display in the world.
•
Due to its privileged geographical location, it offers a plethora of possibilities in terms of available tourist attractions. The Circuit is only 30 minutes from Barcelona, and it is very well connected with the city (bus, train and highway) which makes it possible for visitors to experience the city’s fantastic architecture (the Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter, La Rambla…), do all kinds of shopping, enjoy the local
5
6
cuisine and participate in a great number of leisure activities (theatre, cinema, musicals, football…)
•
Further tourist attractions to be found at Spanish Formula One Grand Prix are the beaches of the Catalan coastline: Costa Brava, Costa Barcelona and Costa Daurada. In addition, the weather in May, the month during which the race is to be held, is perfect. For further information: http://www.circuitcat.com
FC BARCELONA
FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium is one of the icons of the city of Barcelona. Almost 100,000 spectators can enjoy magnificent nights in the biggest and most spectacular stadium in Europe, which was granted five-star status by the UEFA.
Imagine living this experience from an unbeatable view of the pitch and enjoying special comforts in an exclusive setting including catering
and bar service, hostess, CCTV and match line-ups. The Hospitality Programme.
More information: http://www.catalunya.com

Ukraine President urged to resign over EU pact

Ukraine's opposition leaders are demanding the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych. The president is being criticized for shelving an agreement with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Russia.

The Ukraine government was originally intending to sign a deal that would pave the way for the country to join the European bloc. But President Yanukovych changed his course after Russia imposed restrictions on some of Ukraine's exports.

Protestors gathered in the Ukranian capital, Kiev, on Friday. Demonstrators held hands in a human chain to protest the government's decision.

Opposition leaders told a massive rally that they are committed to fighting against Russian pressure. They also said that the president betrayed the people. They pledged to urge the president to resign.

The government says it still aims to conclude the deal with the EU. But the country is expected to face challenges as Russia will likely impose further pressure.

Maid murder case: BSP MP Dhananjay Singh denied bail

30 11 2013

BSP MP Dhananjay Singh, arrested along with his wife Jagriti Singh in connection with murder of their maid, was denied by a Delhi court on Friday which observed that he had “actively participated” in atrocities which aggravated the miseries of his domestic helps.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma dismissed his plea saying that if released on bail at this stage, he might influence the witnesses or tamper with the evidence keeping in view his previous involvement in 31 cases of heinous crimes. “This is not a case of simplicitor failure on the part of applicant/accused (MP) in preventing the commission of such continuous act of atrocities on the part of his wife co-accused Dr Jagriti Singh but also actively participating and thereby perpetrating and aggravating the miseries of his domestic servants,” the court said. “Having regard to the profile of the applicant/accused who has been involved in as many as 31 heinous crimes including murder, extortion, kidnapping and dacoity, it is not difficult to assume that if he is enlarged on bail, he can influence the witnesses and thereby hamper the course of justice,” it said. The court also observed that according to the investigation, the BSP MP has been “reasonably connected” with the crime and has also tamper with the evidence. “… having regard to the fact that applicant/accused (MP) has been reasonably connected with the offence in question and has tried to tamper with evidence besides the fact that there is reasonable apprehension that if applicant (MP) is released on bail, he might intimidate, influence or try to win over the witnesses, I find that there are no grounds to grant bail to the applicant/accused,” the court said. It also said contents of the FIR and statements of the two key witnesses, who were working as maids at Jagriti’s house, prima facie revealed “gory details of continuous diabolic acts and omissions” on his part in not only allowing his wife to indulge in continuous act of merciless beatings the domestic servants but also encouraging and shielding her. The judge also said the details of investigation prima facie revealed that Dhananjay himself participated in the acts of torture and beatings to his domestic helps whenever they dared to make complaints against his wife. Dhananjay had moved bail plea before the sessions court after he failed to get relief from a magisterial court which had earlier dismissed his bail petition saying allegations against him were “very serious” and he does not deserve any leniency due his previous conduct. He had claimed that he has been falsely implicated in the case due to “political pressure”. Dhananjay and Jagriti were arrested on 5th November in connection with the death of their 35-year-old maid Rakhi Bhadra, a resident of West Bengal. Dhananjay, who already faces charges of murder and offences under the UP Gangsters Act, was arrested for allegedly destroying evidence, not informing the police about the maid’s death immediately and employing a juvenile as domestic help. Jagriti was arrested under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 344 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code and the Juvenile Justice Act. Both are currently in jail under judicial custody. Dhananjay was also recently arrested by Delhi Police in a case in which he was accused of repeatedly raping and criminally intimidating a 42-year-old woman, a railway employee, between 2005 and 2009.