The Hotel Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa hosted last Friday the III Meeting of Tourism Talent Management, an event consolidated as a regional benchmark in the promotion of talent and the professionalization of the Canary Islands tourism sector.
Organized by the Island Association of Hotel and Apartment Business Owners of Lanzarote (ASOLAN), in collaboration with the Lanzarote Tourism Federation, the Cabildo of Lanzarote, and Lanzarote Tourism, the meeting brought together leading voices in the field of talent management, human capital development, and leadership.
The opening was led by the Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Government of the Canary Islands, José Manuel Sanabria, and the CEO of SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, Héctor Fernández, together with the president of ASOLAN and the FTL, Susana Pérez. "Talent is and will continue to be the true engine of tourism transformation in the Canary Islands," said Pérez during her speech, noting that reaching the third edition of this meeting "is not only a source of pride, but the best demonstration of the reception and commitment it has generated since its inception.”
Pérez also underscored the importance of continuing to promote professional development and equal opportunities, recalling that “more than 50% of middle management and area management positions in the Lanzarote hotel sector are held by women,” a figure that highlights female leadership in the tourism industry.
The meeting included the participation of prestigious speakers such as Lluís Soldevila, professor at ESADE Business School and an international authority on leadership, who delivered a clear message: "Talent is not imported or invented: it is discovered, nurtured, and activated, and the Canary Islands has more than it imagines."
For his part, Manuel Acevedo, Human Resources Manager and HR Regional for the Canary Islands and Portugal at Hyatt Inclusive Collection, highlighted the need to have "talent committed to the company" to face the challenges of a transforming market.
Eva Aguado, territorial coordinator for the Central South region of CaixaBank Dualiza, emphasized that "Vocational Training will be key in facing the sustainability challenges in the tourism sector," while Mónica Encinoso, sales executive for Turijobs Canarias, spoke of "tourism with purpose" and the need to balance the relationships between company, professional, and environment.
Studies and Success Stories
During the meeting, the consulting firm Innovaris presented the conclusions of the study commissioned by ASOLAN on the professional profiles in the tourism value chain of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, and two round tables were held. The first, "Professional careers in the tourism sector," included the participation of managers from Jardines del Sol–Club del Carmen, Lanis Suites, Mi Piace, and Landmar Playa de la Arena (Tenerife), along with a graduate from the University School of Tourism of Lanzarote (EUTL).
The second, "Tourism Companies, Management and Talent Retention," featured executives from Iberostar, Rosa Group, Canarian Hospitality, Hyatt, and Alma La Santa. Both sessions allowed for discussion on new leadership strategies, talent retention, and the values that will mark the evolution of tourism in the Canary Islands.
The meeting, sponsored by Activa Canarias, Microsistemas, Schôolers.io, Esacan, F&B Formaciones y Consultoría, and the Canary Islands Institute of Tourism (ICT), in addition to a wide network of collaborating companies, has established itself as an unmissable event for the sector and has reaffirmed Lanzarote's role as an engine of transformation for the tourism sector, with a model focused on people and their talent.
