Two senior figures from Spain’s tourism and hospitality industries have been awarded honorary MBEs by King Charles III in recognition of their work to improve the safety of British visitors and strengthen relations between Spain and the United Kingdom.
Gabriel Escarrer, chairman and chief executive of Meliá Hotels International, and José Luis Benítez, president of Spain Nightlife and director of institutional relations at Palladium Hotel Group, were appointed Honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire.
Escarrer’s award recognised his commitment to responsible tourism in the Balearic Islands, particularly his efforts to protect the thousands of young British holidaymakers visiting the islands every year.
Through investment, public awareness campaigns and cooperation between public authorities and private businesses, he helped introduce measures intended to reduce serious incidents involving British tourists.
Escarrer was also an early supporter of the British Government’s Stick With Your Mates campaign, which encourages young people to remain together while enjoying nightlife abroad. His backing helped secure the involvement of local institutions and tourism businesses, contributing to a significant reduction in serious incidents.
His honour also recognised Meliá’s contribution to the British economy. During 25 years of hotel operations in the UK, the Spanish group invested more than £400 million and helped create thousands of jobs.
Escarrer described the distinction as a tremendous honour, which he accepted with gratitude and humility. He said the United Kingdom had played a fundamental role in Meliá’s history and growth and that the award reflected decades of mutual respect.
Benítez was honoured for his work to improve nightlife safety in Ibiza and protect British holidaymakers from sexual harassment, assault and drink spiking.
Through his positions at Palladium Hotel Group and Spain Nightlife, he promoted staff training, improved security procedures and preventive measures across the hospitality and nightlife industries. As a former president of the International Nightlife Association, he also helped extend these standards beyond Spain.
Benítez strongly supported the Stick With Your Mates campaign, helping its safety messages reach more than 1.5 million young people. He also played an important role in securing support from public authorities and tourism businesses.
He said receiving the distinction was a great honour and source of pride. Working alongside the British Government to ensure visitors enjoyed their holidays and returned safely to their families was deeply rewarding, he added.
British Ambassador to Spain Alex Ellis praised both recipients for their contributions.
He said Escarrer had shown an extraordinary commitment to British visitor safety while strengthening economic relations through Meliá’s sustained UK investment. His leadership had helped make destinations such as the Balearic Islands safer for millions of tourists.
The ambassador also credited Benítez with helping to make Ibiza safer for British visitors through close cooperation with authorities and tourism companies.
Both honorary appointments highlighted the importance of cooperation between the British Government and Spain’s tourism industry. With millions of British nationals visiting Spain annually, the recipients’ work demonstrated how hotel groups, nightlife businesses and public institutions could work together to reduce risks and promote safer holidays.
