The Minister of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Marián Cano, has held a series of meetings with the airlines Jet2 Holidays, Vueling and easyJet in the framework of Fitur with the aim of being interested in an increase in the number of routes from the airports Valencians in the next season, in which air connectivity is expected to increase by 8% according to the data collected by the technicians of the Valencian Institute of Tourism Technologies (Invattur).

These companies are committed to keeping a good trend and working to fully develop the region’s airports. This follows a record year when over 28 million passengers flew into the area.

“Connections are essential for tourism, and the Valencian Government keeps in regular contact with airlines to understand their needs,” the minister said. “This includes expanding the Manises and Alicante-Elche airports, which the Council believes cannot be delayed.”

During the talks with the airlines, a key topic was the analysis of the British market and what to expect for summer 2025. Cano highlighted that the British market is very important. Recent data shows that the United Kingdom is the main source of visitors for the Valencian Community, with over 2.8 million British visitors arriving from January to November last year, which is an 11.3% increase compared to 2023.

Jet2 is a budget airline and travel company that provides affordable trips and vacation packages. Jet2.com was started in 2002, with its first flight taking place in 2003 between Leeds and Manchester. In 2007, it introduced its tour operator, Jet2holidays, which has 11,700 workers. It has 120 planes and 12 bases in the UK, plus two in Spain. The Alicante base opened in 2013, and the Tenerife South base opened in 2019.

This airline supports the ‘Jet2 Net Zero’ plan for environmental responsibility that started in 2022. All its land activities do not produce carbon emissions, and its buildings in the UK use renewable energy. This sustainability plan applies to all its providers, including hotels. Their website has a list of 800 sustainable hotels in a part called ‘Certified Sustainable Hotels.’ Customers can choose hotels that follow the official rules of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Jet2 airline will open a new base in Luton next April. From there, it will offer trips to Alicante, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Reus, and Girona.

EasyJet is a British airline that operates from London Luton Airport. It began operating in 1995 and is the second biggest airline in the UK by passenger numbers each year. It is also one of the top airlines in Europe.

This airline offers flights from Valencia and Alicante in the Valencian Community. Last year, this airline started operations at Alicante-Elche airport to mark its 25th anniversary there.

Vueling Airlines started in 2004 in Barcelona. Since then, it has grown quickly, creating many routes to carry millions of people each year and connecting about 30 countries. A team of over 4,600 people works hard to lead the Spanish market and focuses on innovation and close connections in their operations.