Manises Takes the Lead Over Alicante-Elche Airport in Future New York Connection

The Consell continues its efforts to connect the Valencian Community with the United States. The regional government has repeatedly expressed its intention to establish a direct connection with the country to boost the North American market. Despite disagreements with the new Trump administration, the Generalitat is making progress on potential connections with the United States.

This is one of the main objectives of a delegation from the Consell, led by the Minister of Tourism, Marián Cano. The trade mission will begin this Monday in New York and conclude in Atlanta, with a meeting with one of the leading North American airlines.

Thus, the ministry has scheduled a working meeting this week with Delta Air Lines officials to assess the feasibility of a direct flight between Valencia and New York, which would represent "a significant boost for connectivity and tourist flow between both destinations."

In this way, Manises airport takes the lead over Alicante-Elche in the future direct connection with the United States, one of the major attractions for the Alicante tourism sector. In fact, the Alicante Provincial Council has worked at various tourism fairs to bring flights to, precisely, New York.

The future connection with Valencia is a step towards linking the Valencian Community with the United States, a key market that is gaining increasing importance, as in 2024 it ranked 14th in the territory's international visitor ranking, with 143,464 tourists. The impact of this market lies "in its high average spending per tourist, its loyalty as a market, and a growing interest in sustainable tourism," explains the minister.

Cano has insisted that "from the Generalitat we are implementing various actions to anticipate the possible consequences of the US tariff policy," although she assures that it is "essential to strengthen our presence in this strategic market and position ourselves as a reference destination."

As part of its institutional trip and during its visit to New York, the institutional delegation will meet this Monday with Peggy Murphy, vice president of USTOA, one of the most relevant tour operator associations in the United States. In this meeting, they will seek her collaboration to strengthen the promotion of the Valencian Community among North American market agents, especially highlighting the experiential, cultural, and premium offerings.