Excelencias Awards Presented on the Opening Day of FITUR 2021

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The EXCELENCIAS AWARDS were presented on the opening day of FITUR 2021, in Madrid, Spain, the first major tourism trade fair to be held on-site after the global hiatus in March 2020 due to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus.

In its 16th edition, 34 projects related to tourism, gastronomy and culture in Ibero-America were recognized with this award, created by the Excelencias Group with the goal of fostering excellence in different fields related to tourism, gastronomy and culture in Ibero-America.

The EXCELENCIAS AWARDS have become a benchmark in those fields, and on this occasion representatives from 12 countries participated in the awards ceremony: Argentina, Cuba, Panama, Mexico, Costa Rica, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Colombia.

A number of international personalities gathered on the occasion of the Excelencias Awards: Mr. Matias Lammens, Argentina's Minister of Tourism, Mr. Ivan Eskildsen, Panama's Minister of Tourism, Mr. Eduardo Lopez-Puertas, General Director of IFEMA, Mr. Miguel Torruco, Minister of Tourism of Mexico, Ms. Nava Castro, Secretary of Tourism of the Xunta de Galicia, Mayor's Office of Carvaca de la Cruz, Mr. Silverio Gómez, Director of ProColombia, Diplomatic Attaché of the Colombian Embassy, Secretary of Tourism of Coahuila Lic. Azucena Ramos, Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Academia de Turismo de Coahuila, Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Academia de Turismo de Coahuila. Rafael Ansón, President of the Iberoamerican Academy of Gastronomy.

Also Mrs. Liliana Salinas de Jiménez, Honorary President of the DIF of Salinas de Jiménez, Ms. Liliana Salinas de Jiménez. Honorary President of the DIF of Saltillo, Mr. Pablo Rivera Bua; President of AECTS Chaves-Verín, Mrs. Isabel Piñero CSO Grupo Piñero, Ms. Janet Fernández Economic Counselor of the Cuban Embassy, Vice-Minister Daniel Nepomuceno of Tourism, Ms. Almudena Malillo, Councilor of Tourism of Madrid and Secretary General of the UCCI, Exmo. Mr. Juan Bolívar Díaz Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Spain were present.

Also meeting on the occasion of the awards ceremony were Mr. Alberto Durán, Executive Vice-President of ONCE, Mr. Miguel Fernández, Director of the Spanish Federation of Food Banks FESBAL, Lic. Quirino Ordáz Coppel, Governor of the State of Sinaloa, Hon. Sinaloa, H.E. Mrs. María Carmen Oñate, Ambassador of Mexico to Spain, H.E. Mr. Iván Duque, Ambassador of Colombia to Spain, Mr. Gustavo Segura, Minister of Tourism of Costa Rica, Mr. Rafael Ansón, President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy AIBG, among others.The winners of the 16th edition of the Excelencias Awards were:

SPIRIT OF EXCELENCIAS TURISTICAS AWARD

José Andrés

For his solidarity during the year 2020

PICKED UP: José Andrés was unable to attend but was present through a recording.

2020 EXCELENCIAS TURISTICAS AWARDS

PANAMA

Panama Tourism Authority (ATP)

for: Sustainable Panama and the Camino de Santiago

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Mr. Iván Eskildsen, Panama's Minister of Tourism

MEXICO SECRETARY OF TOURISM OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO

by: Montezuma Fish Route, caring for nature through tourism. The inclusion of Mexico's historical memory and cultural heritage.

PRESENTED by: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Mr. Miguel Torruco, Mexico's Minister of Tourism.

SECRETARY OF TOURISM OF TAMAULIPAS

by: Solidarity and sustainable destination model 5.0 Adapted to new needs and protocols.

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Miguel Torruco, Mexico's Minister of Tourism.

RECEIVED: Ms. Azucena Ramos Ramos, Secretary of Tourism of Coahuila, on behalf of Mr. Fernando Olivera, Secretary of Tourism of Tamaulipas, who was present in a recording.

SECRETARY OF TOURISM OF COAHUILA

for: "VINOS&DINOS" Wine and paleontology gastronomic route

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Miguel Torruco, Mexico's Minister of Tourism.

PICKED UP: Ms. Azucena Ramos Ramos, Secretary of Tourism of Coahuila.

SECRETARY OF THE STATE OF CHIHUAHUA

for: "mysticism of the desert".

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Miguel Torruco, Mexico's Minister of Tourism.

Picked up by: Ms. Elisa Garrido, International Representative for cultural events of the Ciudad Juarez Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Chihuahua State Tourism Promotion Trust, in addition to the General Director of the Trust, Mr. Germán Ralis, Secretary of Tourism Promotion of the State of Chihuahua was present through a recording.

SECRETARY OF THE STATE OF JALISCO

by: "Riviera de Chalapa". Renewal and repositioning of a diversified and sustainable tourism offer.

PRESENTED by: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Miguel Torruco, Mexico's Minister of Tourism.

Juan José Álvarez Brunel Secretary of Tourism of the State of Guanajuato, on behalf of Mr. Germán Kotsiaras Ralis Secretary of Tourism of the State of Jalisco, who was present through a recording.

Lic. QUIRINO ORDAZ COPPEL

for: professional lifetime achievement

PRESENTED by: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Miguel Torruco, Mexico's Minister of Tourism.

RECEIVED: Mr. Quirino Ordaz Coppel, current Governor of the State of Sinaloa.

NICARAGUA

SOLENTINAME TOURS

for: "Viva Solentiname free of plastic".

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Mr. Javier Munguia González, Diplomatic Attaché of the Embassy of Nicaragua to the Kingdom of Spain and also present through a recording of Mr. Immanuel Zerger, General Director of Solentiname.

SPAIN

CITY COUNCIL OF CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ

for: Preserving the cultural heritage and recovery of tourism through its traditional festivities.

AWARDED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

COLLECTED: Mr. José Carlos Gómez, Councilman of Tourism of Caravaca de la Cruz

BODEGAS ARZUAGA

for: Its wine tourism offer. The union of its wines with the visitable reserve of its estate.

AWARDED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Mr. Chencho Alonso Lopez, Communication Bodegas Arzuaga.

FUNDACION ONCE

for: "Accessible Camino de Santiago".

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mrs. Nava Castro, Secretary of Tourism of the Xunta de Galicia.

COLLECTED: Mr. Alberto Durán, Vice President of the ONCE Foundation and Mr. Jesús Hernández Galán, Director of accessibility and innovation ONCE Foundation.

ARGENTINA

Ministry of Tourism of Argentina

for: Summer campaign of domestic tourism, and visibility at the international level with experiences presented by INPROTUR before ASICOTUR, carried out without massive contagion.

AWARDED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. Chairman of the Excelencias Group

COLLECTED: Mr. Matías Lammens, Minister of Tourism of Argentina and Mr. Ricardo Sosa President of INPROTUR.

COLOMBIA

PROCOLOMBIA

for: "From Isolation to Enlistment" Tourism reactivation strategy.

DELIVERED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Mr. Silverio Gómez Director of ProColombia in Spain.

PARAGUAY

MINISTRY OF TOURISM OF PARAGUAY TOGETHER WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR (STAY PY Y CERVEPAR).

for: Dissemination, promotion and support campaign for domestic tourism, "VIaja a tu Interior".

AWARDED by: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

COLLECTED: They were unable to attend but were present through a recording.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS

GRUPO PIÑERO

Category: BLUE

for: Integral management plan for the coastline in its hotels. Promoting the planning and management of the natural resources of the destinations.

AWARDED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Ms. Isabel Piñero, Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of the Piñero Group.

BODEGAS TORRES

Category: GREEN

for: "TORRES & EARTH" For the IWCA Foundation that promotes the decarbonization of the sector at a global level.

AWARDED by: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. Chairman of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Unable to attend

AECT EUROCIUDAD CHAVES-VERÍN

Category: WELLNESS

by: The strategic bet to promote the Eurocity Chaves-Verin, a health and wellness destination on the Spanish-Portuguese border.

AWARDED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Mr. Pablo Rivera Bua President EGTC.

2020 EXCELENCIAS GOURMET AWARDS

SPAIN

EN UN LUGAR DE LA PANZA

by: International competition of gastronomic and wine stories. Alternative gastronomic promotion

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

COLLECTED: Mr. David Villorejo Cobo, Organizer of "En un lugar de la panza".

EDITORIAL PLANETA GASTRO

by: Its specialized publications.

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

COLLECTED: David Figueras Pérez, Head of Planeta Gastro Publishing House

VOCENTO

for: The digitalization of San Sebastián Gastronomika.

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

COLLECTED:They were unable to attend

GOOGLE

by: Technological partner of catering companies.

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

PICKED UP: Maialen Carbajo, head of Google Spain's tourism division.

ZALACAÍN

by: Unique part of Madrid's gastronomic history.

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

PICKED UP: Mr. José Jiménez Blas, former head waiter at Zalacaín and Mr. Benjamín Urdiaín, former head chef at Zalacaín.

COMMUNITY OF MADRID, HOSTELERÍA DE ESPAÑA, FACYRE AND MADRID CITY COUNCIL

by: Joint actions to maintain and reactivate the economy of the hospitality sector.

PRESENTED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

COLLECTED: They were unable to attend but were present through a recording of Ms. Paloma Martín, Minister of the Environment, Territorial Planning and Sustainability of the Community of Madrid.

FESBAL- FEDERATION OF FOOD BANKS

for: The tireless work to support those most in need.

AWARDED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

COLLECTED: Miguel Fernández, Director of FESBAL

CORREOS DE ESPAÑA

by: Correos Market. Working to bring together local products with global consumers.

DELIVERED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

PICKED UP: Ms. Eva Pavo, Director of Marketing and Communications at Correos España.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

CHEF ANA LEBRÓN

FOR: For the vision, creativity and work demonstrated in winning gold at the IKA 2020 Culinary Olympics.

AWARDED by: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

PICKED UP: Mr. Luis Ros President of the Dominican Academy of Gastronomy on behalf of Chef Ana Lebrón who was unable to attend but was present through a recording.

MEXICO

FUNDACION BECKMANN

for: "Cocina mexicana ancestral - de fogones y metates-". rescue of the highland cuisine in hybrid format

PRESENTED BY: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

PICKED UP: Mr. Juan José Álvarez Brunel Secretary of Tourism of the State of Guanajuato.

SECRETARY OF STATE OF GUANAJUATO

by: Vinotelia. Enotourism Conversation. Forum of coexistence with virtual experiences and master conferences.

DELIVERED by: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

Juan José Álvarez Brunel Secretary of Tourism of the State of Guanajuato and Ms. Ana María Arias.

IBEROAMÉRICA

NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF GASTRONOMY

for: their educational activities, promoters of Iberoamerican gastronomy, and promoters of consumption options in restaurants during the pandemic.

PRESENTED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and

WELCOMED: Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy and Mr. Luis Ros President of the Dominican Academy of Gastronomy and Ms. Antonella Ruggiero Director of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

COSTA RICA

COSTA RICAN FOUNDATION OF GASTRONOMY

by: Promotion of healthy gastronomy and the national plan for sustainable and healthy Costa Rican gastronomy (PNGCSS).

AWARDED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

WELCOMED: Mr. Gustavo Segura, Costa Rica's Minister of Tourism

COLOMBIA

LA PUERTA FALSA RESTAURANT

by: Unique history in downtown Bogotá for 3 centuries.

AWARDED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group and Mr. Rafael Ansón President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy.

PICKED UP: Mr. Henry Alejandro Tolosa Enriquez, grandson of the family.

SPECIAL EXCELENCIAS AWARDS 2020

RAMÓN ÁLVAREZ EXCELENCIAS AWARD

MADRID MICE

HANDED OUT: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group AND Ms. Charo Trabado -CEO of GSAR Marketing-.

WON: Ms. Almudena Maillo, Councilwoman Delegate of Tourism of the Madrid City Council and Secretary General of the Union of Ibero-American Cities (UCCI).

NICOLÁS MUELA EXCELENCIAS AWARD

CHEF ESPERANZA LITHGOW

PRESENTED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group, His Excellency David Collado, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to the Kingdom of Spain, Mr. Rafael Ansón, President of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy and Mr. Luis Ros, President of the Dominican Academy of Gastronomy.

WELCOMEES: Mr. Franklin Lithgow Ortega, widower, and Mr. Franklin Lithgow, son of the chef’s.

SILVIA ZORZANELLO EXCELENCIAS AWARD

PROVINCE OF SANTA CATARINA

PRESENTED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Mr. Daniel Nepomuceno, Brazil's Vice Minister of Tourism, on behalf of Mr. Leandro Mané Ferrari, President of SANTUR.

COVID INTERNATIONAL EXCELENCIAS AWARD

HENRY REEVE BRIGADE

for its support to the international community, with medical supplies in times of need.

PRESENTED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

PICKED UP: Ms. Janet Fernandez, Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Cuban Embassy in Spain, on behalf of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health.

COVID NATIONAL EXCELENCIAS AWARD

IFEMA HOSPITAL

For the efficiency and speed in dealing with the situation in the Community of Madrid, being an example for the whole world.

PRESENTED: Mr. José Carlos de Santiago. President of the Excelencias Group

COLLECTED: Eduardo López-Puertas General Manager of IFEMA. 

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