A career linked to tourism and human relations
For more than five decades linked to the tourism sector, Juan José Oliván has developed his professional career in different areas of the industry, always with one idea in mind: the value of people and the relationships that are built along the way.
In her role as Head of Marketing and Communications at Skål International Málaga-Costa del Sol, is currently involved in the development of new projects aimed at strengthening the club’s presence, improving its communication and highlighting the activities of its members.
Juanjo's professional experience has allowed him to witness firsthand the evolution of tourism and, especially, the transformation of relationships between companies and professionals. He now brings this perspective to his work at Skål and his commitment to developing new initiatives to strengthen communication and synergies among members.
What does Skål mean to you?
For me, Skål represents something I have verified over more than 50 years working in the tourism sector: Personal relationships are one of the greatest assets of our industry..
I've had the opportunity to meet thousands of professionals, work with very different companies, and experience the evolution of tourism from the inside. And if there's one thing that remains constant after so many years, it's that businesses can start with a call, an email, or a meeting, but they often solidify thanks to the trust that develops between people.
That's precisely what I find in Skål. An international network that doesn't just connect professionals, but creates an environment where it's possible to meet, share experiences, help each other, and generate opportunities.
The motto “Doing Business Among Friends” It perfectly encapsulates that philosophy. It's not just about doing business with friends, but about understanding that people come first, and then the opportunities that arise from those relationships.
For me, Skål is also a way of giving back to the industry a part of everything it has given me during my professional career.
What are the benefits of being part of this network?
Above all, it gives me the opportunity to stay connected with the sector and with professionals from different generations, specialties and markets.
After so many years in tourism, one might think they've seen almost everything. However, that's precisely the nature of tourism: It is constantly transforming. Travelers, technology, business models, and ways of marketing and communicating destinations change, but new opportunities to learn continually emerge.
Skål allows me to share that experience, but also to listen and learn from those who are now joining the sector.
I also believe that belonging to a network like Skål has enormous value at a time when collaboration is increasingly important. An agency, a hotel, an airline, a restaurant, a destination, or a technology company may have different objectives, but we are all part of the same tourism ecosystem.
That's why I believe so strongly in quality networking. It's not about accumulating contacts, but about building relationships that can eventually become collaboration, knowledge, and real opportunities.
How do you see the current state of tourism?
We are facing one of the most exciting and, at the same time, most complex moments I have experienced in the sector.
Tourism continues to grow, and the Costa del Sol maintains a privileged position as an international destination, but the landscape has changed radically. Travelers are much more demanding, better informed, and seek different experiences. Technology has transformed how we book, communicate, and sell, and artificial intelligence will accelerate this process even further.
But there is something I consider fundamental: Technology cannot replace human relationships.
For decades I've watched new tools emerge that seemed destined to change everything. And indeed, many have changed the way we work. However, behind every booking, every trip, and every experience, there is still a person.
The great challenge for the sector will be to ensure that innovation and technology serve people, and not the other way around.
We also have to address issues such as sustainability, accessibility, destination management, coexistence with residents, and the need to generate tourism that provides economic and social value.
The Costa del Sol has a huge opportunity to remain one of the great international destinations, but we must do so through innovation, collaboration and quality.
A piece of advice for someone starting out in the industry:
I would tell him something that may seem very simple, but which I consider fundamental after so many years in the profession: Listen, learn, and nurture your relationships..
When you start out in tourism, you're tempted to think that the most important thing is to get results quickly. Naturally, results are important, but there's something that takes much longer to build: a professional reputation.
I would try to meet people from different areas of the industry, not just my specialty. I would talk to hoteliers, agencies, destination management companies, airlines, restaurateurs, technology companies, institutions, and professionals from other markets.
And, above all, I wouldn't understand networking as a simple accumulation of business cards or contacts on LinkedIn. True networking begins when there is genuine interest in the other person.
I would also tell him to be patient. In tourism, many opportunities that seem unrelated to your current job can become important tomorrow.
My own journey has taught me that a conversation, a professional friendship, or a collaboration can last for decades.
Therefore, my advice would be very Skål: Invest in relationships, be generous in sharing knowledge, and never stop learning. In tourism, people are everything.
CONNECTION · EXPERIENCE · OPPORTUNITY
After more than five decades involved in tourism, I still have the same feeling as when I started: This is an extraordinary sector because behind every trip there are always people.
And that's precisely why I believe in Skål.
My role within the Marketing and Communications department at Skål International Málaga-Costa del Sol is to help raise our organisation’s profile, ensure our professionals have a voice, and enable us to share everything we do – things that often do not reach the wider public.
That's also where it comes from At Sinergia Skål,, Our digital magazine, conceived as a space to share knowledge, experiences, protagonists and opportunities; a publication that wants to be the voice of our club and a meeting point for tourism professionals on the Costa del Sol.
Because if there's one thing I've learned over all these years, it's that When we connect people, ideas, and opportunities, tourism grows.
And that, ultimately, is Skål.
