The president of the Junta de Castilla y León praised the «category» of the La Posada award winners, an incentive for professionals who «create jobs, fill the rural environment with opportunities and do wonders» for their communities.
Together they hope to achieve two objectives: «to recover and surpass the levels before the pandemic» and «to use this business potential to beat previous records and surpass their own objectives». According to Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, this is one of the objectives that Castilla y León must achieve in the near future.
These were the words of the president of the Junta de Castilla y León at the La Posada awards ceremony organised last night by the Castilla y León World newspaper, where Mañueco made it clear that «we want the region to do it, but we do not doubt that it is possible. With entrepreneurs like you, we will be able to achieve this goal», he told the 14 winners.
Manjueco stressed that «this award from La Posada de El Mundo is a stimulus for all professionals and entrepreneurs», raising the shutter that allows all professionals and entrepreneurs «to look out over the magnificence of Castilla y León every day». He said.
You are creating jobs in the main sectors of the economy, filling the countryside with opportunities and being pioneers in the fight for the future», said the President of Castilla y León.
He congratulated these people, «some of whom are his friends and acquaintances», offering «examples of the quality of the industries that form the basis of our productive economy».
Fernández Mañueco also gave special thanks to the primary industry, which «stood up for itself» when it was most needed. He also recalled «the sacrifices paid by the hotel and catering industry for the benefit of society as a whole» and «the restrictive measures it had to face during the pandemic».
Mr. Manieco therefore dedicated part of his speech to the winners of the 9th edition of the La Posada Awards. This year the awards were once again presented in person at the Miguel Delibes Cultural Centre in Valladolid. Regarding Alberto’s winery in Cerrada (Valladolid), awarded for its oenological work, he stressed that «the secret to making great wines is the combination of tradition and modernity».
José Manuel Pérez Obejas, winemaker from Burgos, also wished him luck with his new winery. Mr. Manuech also congratulated La Olmeda, the Roman villa and award-winning tourism initiative, for being «a luxury for everyone».
Among the award-winning restaurants, he cited «La Parrilla de San Lorenzo» in Valladolid and its owner, Agustín Lorenzo, as «a model of self-improvement in every sense».
In his speech, the President of the Provincial Council also congratulated the restaurants «El Mesón Los Templarios de Villasirga» (Palencia), «El Mesón Castellano de «Gari» (Soria) and «Lasal», owned by Rubén Becker from Zamora. We are very proud of you. We are very proud of you», he acknowledged.
Mañueco thanked all those who support «high quality local products, produced in the region and transformed by agriculture». Also receiving awards were the Obranca Group, which won the prize for Agri-Food Company of the Year, the Baygadarte Cheese Factory (León), the Torre del Gallo poultry farm (Salamanca), the Los Pinales distillery (Segovia) and El Pescador de Villagarcia (Valladolid), among others.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Tomás Pascual, President of Calidad Pascual, who received a special mention. Fernández Maniaco highlighted the legacy of Tomás Pascual Sr. as «a family that knows how to do business and embodies what a modern family business should be».
Acknowledging the difficulties facing the EU business sector, Manjeco said: «We know you are going through difficult times. We know you are having a hard time,» he said, «and we offer you all the support of the governments of Castilla y León.
A few days ago,» he recalled, «I announced another eight million to support mobility in tourism and to extend the call to adapt safe spaces in hotels and restaurants. And he added: «In 2022, we will intensify our support with a package of 110 million euros from the regional budget and European funds, and we will continue our support to an area that we consider key for the Community: tourism».
Mañueco also called for support for those working in the agri-food sector, stating that the government «will do everything possible» to provide at least 70 million euros and new support measures under the agribusiness programme in collaboration with Vitartis.