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Мадрид переживает туристический спад.

MADRID is known for its nightlife and world-class museums, but since the middle of last year, the Spanish capital has been experiencing a tourist downturn, which officials are to blame for, the actions which have led to losses in the number of flights and weak branding cities.

The number of foreign tourists in Madrid in August 2013 fell on 22 percent compared to 290 494, which was registered in August 2012, as a result of which, the total number of tourists in the first eight months 2013 the year had dropped to 2,76 million people, that the 7.7-percent below, during the same period, a year earlier.

However, while the flow of tourists to Madrid was declining, international tourism in Spain as a whole has grown by 4,5 interest rate from January to August, due to the increase in the country's seaside resorts, because of political unrest in other areas, related to beach holidays, and popular with northern Europeans, such as Egypt and Turkey.

«Madrid suddenly ceased to be attractive, Little money has been invested to promote. We didn't spend the amount., which we had to», President of the Confederation of Commerce of Madrid, Hilario Alfaro.

Located in the heart of Spain, not far from the architectural gems of Barcelona and the most beautiful belostennyh villages of Andalusia, Madrid has several top museums, such as the Prado Museum, but he could not develop sufficiently strong promotion of its tourism brand.

«The main problem is that, that Madrid lacks an international image, as Barcelona», the Secretary-General said the hoteliers ' Association of Madrid, Antonio Gil, and added, that costs the city in tourist promotional campaigns are «clearly insufficient».

Decision of two major European budget airlines, EasyJet and Ryanair, drastically reduce their flights to Madrid in 2013 year after, AENA airport administration doubled taxes and fees at the airport of the city, also aggravated the problem.

Rajnjejr reduced its flights to Madrid 35 процентов, в то время как Изиждет на 20 процентов.

Besides, loss-making flag carrier Iberia of Spain / Iberia also has canceled dozens of routes as part of a major restructuring, After its merger with British company Ajervejs / British Airways.

Madrid airport has undergone the largest fall in the number of passengers among the main centres in Europe in August – on 11,7 per cent to 3,8 Million. and for the first time this month, it surpassed the Barcelona Airport, became the busiest airport in Spain, According to the International Airports Council.

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