The Port Elche hotel hosted a fresh installment of the Ocio y Negocio breakfast live on Friday, welcoming Nuria Montes, the regional Councillor for Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Generalitat Valenciana. The Ocio y Negocio initiative, driven by Port Hotels, highlights Elche’s business ecosystem within the Elche Business Park. The gathering featured Miguel Pina, CEO of Mondraker, an Elche-based mountain bike company, and Sol Segura, director of Cedelco, who moderated the event.
During her remarks, Montes shared optimistic outlooks for the future of the industry, trade and tourism. She underscored that the strategy for the Business Park centers on promoting it as a major European industrial hub, pointing to the convenience of having a single one-stop channel for companies and municipalities to access. From the Councillor’s office, Montes expressed a commitment to execute as much of the allocated budget as possible.
Montes forecast another year of record numbers for the tourism sector. She reflected on recent years, including the pandemic, and noted how society has evolved, with tourism becoming a vital, almost necessary, component of life in the region.
Miguel Pina, who recently opened a new Mondraker headquarters in the United States, offered a broad view of the family business, its growth trajectory, and the varied strategies for meeting contemporary business challenges. He highlighted the importance of integrating innovation across every department of a company, arguing that having the best product is not enough if the rest of the services do not align. He also stressed the value of external support when transitioning from a family-owned model to a professionalized organization, describing it as one of the most complex changes his company has navigated.
Mondraker is moving forward with determination over the next five years, aiming to solidify its position as a leader in the high-end market.
The event drew a diverse slate of attendees, including Elche’s mayor Pablo Ruz, the Councillors for Economic Promotion and Tourism, Samuel Ruiz and Irene Ruiz, and the rector of the Universidad Miguel Hernández in Elche, Juan José Ruiz Martínez. Representatives from notable local firms such as Grupo Soledad, Grupo Antón and PLD Space were also present, underscoring the gathering’s regional business significance. The occasion served not only as a network-building moment but also as a platform to discuss regional development, investment opportunities, and the ongoing collaboration between public authorities and the private sector in strengthening Elche’s economic fabric.
Cited sources emphasize the strategic intent behind the park’s growth and the ongoing push to streamline administrative processes for businesses. The dialogue highlighted the need to balance ambitious regional goals with practical support for companies at every stage of development, from startups to established manufacturing operations, aligning with broader national and international trends in industrial policy and tourism-driven growth.