Among the prominent names in this edition, for the second consecutive year, is Natalia Ros, co-founder of Forum Business Travel & Events, editor of MeetIN, vice president of Women Leading Tourism, and one of the most recognized voices in the field of business travel and MICE tourism.
The initiative, promoted by Sergestur, seeks to highlight profiles with real capacity for influence, impact, and value creation within an industry that brings together millions of professionals and an enormous diversity of activities.
As Fernando Garasa, CEO of Sergestur and promoter of the list, explains, "the list is a recognition, but also a responsibility," comparing it to Michelin stars: "it's not enough to get them: you have to maintain them."
MORE DIVERSITY
One of the keys to the 2026 edition is the reinforcement of the diversity of the selected profiles, with a greater presence of professionals who are traditionally less visible in the media but essential in the tourism value chain. In Garasa's words, the aim is for the list not to be a snapshot or a "prize for a closed elite," but rather a tool that "capillarizes the sector" and recognizes emerging and cross-cutting talent.
Along the same lines, Garasa highlights the horizontality of the awards and gives specific examples of the types of profiles that are being included this year: from maintenance managers, assistant housekeepers, trainee waiters, tourist guides, and even rural and cultural initiatives with an impact on tourism. Another relevant figure for this edition is the level of renewal. According to the project's promoter, this year 75 new profiles have been added, which is practically half of the list.
In addition, Sergestur has created a second parallel list, Top Tourist Leaders, to bring together the historical leaders in the sector?the most established names?and thus leave more room for new talent that "was doing very important things but had no place".
Garasa also points out that the selection incorporates filters linked to professional reputation and ethical behavior. "We want the list to be clean and not include profiles with unethical behavior." Beyond individual recognition, Sergestur defends the strategic value of the list as a sectoral campaign. In the latest edition, Garasa points out, 15 million hits were achieved on social media, and the phenomenon transcends Spain with a particular impact on markets with linguistic affinity.
With this new edition, the "150+ Influential People in Tourism" list reinforces its role as the "who's who" of Spanish tourism and as a showcase for professional leadership in the sector, at a time when the industry is seeking new references, technical profiles, and different ways of generating value through management, operations, and innovation.