University of Girona explains Catalan touristic development in China

From http://www.udg.edu/Noticiesiagenda/Reculldenoticies/tabid/2575/language/ca-ES/Default.aspx?p=19398 (in Catalan)

Professor Lluís Mundet, Dean of the Faculty of Tourism of the University of Girona, has recently visited China to explain the pattern of touristic development in Catalonia, most specifically the one in the Costa Brava, in the Girona province. He held meetings about these issues with the direction team at the School of History and Culture (Tourism) of the Sichuan University in Chengdu. He also promoted the degree and master courses offered by the University of Girona related to touristic activities, such as the European Master in Tourism Management, the Master in Cultural Tourism and the Master in Tourism Management and Planning. After the willingness of Zhangzhou city council to recreate the village of Cadaqués in the Xiamen bay, the touristic development in Costa Brava may become another point of interest by Chinese tourism promoters.

[caption id="attachment_510" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Cala Boadella, Lloret de Mar, Costa Brava"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_512" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="View of Cadaqués, Costa Brava"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_511" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="View of Roses Bay from Sant Salvador de Rodes, Costa Brava"][/caption]

Sinalunya highlighted in Catalan weekly magazine Presència

On Sunday, May 1st 2011, this blog was highlighted on the internet pages of the Catalan weekly magazine Presència. We would like to thank them for considering that Sinalunya.com was interesting enough for this section.

[caption id="attachment_501" align="alignleft" width="218" caption="Presència, front page 1 May 2011"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_502" align="alignleft" width="218" caption="Presència, internet pages, 1 May 2011"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_503" align="alignleft" width="236" caption="Detail of the comment on Sinalunya.com, Presència, 1 May 2011"][/caption]

China economy grows 9.7% in first quarter of 2011

From http://cmp.hku.hk/newswire/#2eb0c94b16718b2c1d9b14cc054037fe (in English)

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's economy grew almost in the double-digit range -9.7%- during the first quarter of 2011.

China, main import and export destination for traffic through Barcelona port

From http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/business/container-traffic-passing-through-barcelona-port-increases-23-between-january-and-marc (in English)

Despite the increase in traffic to some destinations such as North Africa or Turkey, China has remained as the main import and export destination of traffic through Barcelona port. According to the Barcelona Port Authority, between January and March 2011 overall container traffic has experienced a 23% increase during this period, totalling 538,700 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units).

Chery includes Catalonia on its development plans

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/04/28/catalunya/1304018088.html (in Spanish)

Chinese car maker Chery International Automobile Co. has confirmed that Catalonia is included on its future development plans. In an interview to Spanish economic newspaper Expansión, Deputy General Manager at Chery Patrick Gao has declared that "Catalonia is a potential candidate (for establishing a factory) and we have entered in close contact with local authorities", but he also mentioned that "other countries have also shown interest for the investment of Chery” and that "no final decision has been made". Conversations between Chery and the Catalan goverment started in late 2010 when the former President José Montilla traveled to China to meet and negotiate with Chery representatives and now will be resumed by the government led by new President Artur Mas.

Banco de Santander sets foot in rural China

From http://www.icex.es/icex/cda/controller/pageICEX/0,6558,5518394_5519005_6366453_4479153,00.html (in Spanish)

Banco de Santander has reached an agreement with the China Construction Bank to develop a joint-venture in rural China that will allow the Spanish bank firmly establish itself in the Chinese market. Investment will reach 3.5 billion yuan (370 million euros), of which 80.1% will be provided by the China Construction Bank and the other 19.9% by Banco de Santander. This venture will be essential in order to provide services to the rural population in China, which still accounts for two thirds of its 1.3 billion inhabitants.

Unemployment still on the rise in Catalonia

From http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/business/unemployment-increases-first-quarter-year-and-reaches-1901-active-population-catalonia (in English)

According to data recently published by the Spanish Institute of Statistics, unemployment in Catalonia has still increased in the first quarter of 2011, reaching 19.01% of the active population. During this period, job destruction created new 40,900 unemployed workers, which increased up to 727,600 people the number of jobseekers. These figures are a little bit better than in overall Spain, where the percentage rose up to 21.29% and the total number of unemployed workers reached 4,910,000.