Salamanca's International Congress on the value of Spanish

This Congress, which takes place in the city of Salamanca in November 24, 25 and 26 of 2008, is a high level three-session forum whose purpose is to analyze the value of the Spanish language as a cultural and touristic resource, as well as the impact that it has in the different economic sectors.

The Plan for Spanish for Foreigners in Castile and Leon intends, among other aims, to establish Castile and Leon as the leading international Spanish learning destination, to develop technologies, stimulate the publication of Spanish language material, provide accommodation for students and other cultural leisure activities. Spain welcomed 237.000 students of Spanish last year. The main goal of the Plan is to double the number of foreign students coming to the Region of Castile and Leon, which currently stands 2nd with 40,000 (behind Andalusia) and to also double the income generated, from 51 million to 120 million euros.

The congress will welcome a number of top-level individuals from the world of business, education, culture, the media and international tourism and it will be the first of its kind to examine the economic effects of the worldwide diffusion and learning of Spanish from a tourism and cultural perspective.

Who is it for? This congress is aimed toward all of those players, both national and international, who are involved in the world of tourism, business and Spanish language education, such as:

* Hotels Associations, which will be able to determine the value of the potentiality of idiomatic tourism; products, services or adjustments that will be included in their offerings, in accordance with that potentiality.

* Travel Agencies and Travel Agents, since tourism related to language learning assumes a sector of growing importance to their commercial package and with broad future perspectives.

* Publishing Houses, of materials for teaching the Spanish language to foreigners as well as of travel guides, for whom the Spanish language also comprises an important market niche.

* Universities and the Academic World, especially those who have or will have in the future a Spanish department. Also, those who are currently developing one and could share their experiences.

* Academies of Spanish Language Instruction for Foreigners, another sector very interested in this expansion phenomenon and the economic importance of Spanish, as they are the principal beneficiaries.

* Embassies, Consulates, Tourism Offices, and Commercial Offices of Spain abroad, as centers of promotion of everything related to Spain and Spanish.

* Businessmen and Entrepreneurs that could develop business around the Spanish language or activities related to it, who may find in this Congress ideas, possible business partners. This bracket also takes into account technological channel companies.

* Public Administrations (Consulates, Town Halls..), in whose hands also lies the promotion of activities related to the teaching of the Spanish language.

* University Students or those holding Higher Degrees, whose subjects are related to the Spanish language or who wish to educate themselves about the possibilities and alternatives that this Congress offers.

If you would like to attend the congress, register online!

For more information, visit the Official webpage (in English or Spanish): http://www.congresovaloridioma.es/