Source: Action Waterscapes
Interview with ALFONSO RIBARROCHA · Action Waterscapes.
VOICES FROM THE REGION
From Paiporta (Valencia), Action Waterscapes combines strong local roots with an international outlook. Alfonso Ribarrocha reflects on the Valencian ecosystem of swimming pools and aquatic leisure, its export potential, and the challenges that will shape the sector in the years ahead.
The region as an ecosystem of opportunity
“The tourist industry in the Valencian Community is a major driver of aquatic leisure: water parks, hotels, campsites and municipal pools. We should also highlight the high density of family and community swimming pools”
Action Waterscapes has close ties with the Valencian Community. How would you describe this relationship, and what has the region meant for the development of your business?
The company was founded on the outskirts of Valencia, and this is where we intend to remain. We are deeply rooted in the region, with very close commercial relationships with companies in our area. Our main suppliers manufacture less than 50 km from our premises, which means we contribute directly to the economic development of our own region.
At the same time, we have a clear international outlook, with projects up and running in 35 countries across four continents. Having one of the most important commercial ports in the Mediterranean is also a major advantage for us.
What makes the Valencian Community a particularly significant region for the pool and wellness sector?
The climate obviously plays a role, but I also think the Valencian Community is a very welcoming place, which means that tourism is another major driver of demand in the aquatic leisure sector.
We have six high-quality water parks, all operating at a high level and receiving regular investment to keep their facilities up to date. In addition, there are a large number of public-use pools in hotels, campsites and municipal facilities, as well as a high density of private pools and pools in residential communities.
All of this has helped to develop a significant and highly professionalised business ecosystem around the swimming pool sector.
If you had to explain to an international professional why the Valencian Community is one of the driving forces behind this industry in Spain, what would you highlight?
For all the reasons I have just mentioned, I would highlight the high level of experience across the different segments of the pool industry — public use, water parks and private use.
Growing demand itself has enabled the sector to develop. Combined with the entrepreneurial spirit of the Valencian people, this makes the Valencian Community an excellent environment for the economic development of our sector.
Industry, tourism and professionalisation
“Growing demand itself has enabled the sector to develop.”
The Valencian Community combines industry, a residential market and a strong export focus. How do you assess the way these three areas have evolved in recent years?
It is indeed the combination of all these factors, together with the development of tourism itself, that has driven demand, as I explained earlier.
Which factors do you consider to have been the main drivers of the sector’s growth and competitiveness in this region?
On the supply side, it is driven by the entrepreneurial spirit I mentioned earlier, which has enabled a professional ecosystem to develop across both the public and private pool sectors.
On the demand side, the Valencian Community is one of the most important tourism hubs in Spain. The Valencian people are very welcoming, while the climate, cuisine and cultural diversity make the region highly attractive to both Spaniards and international visitors.
And this is not limited to short tourist stays. Many people also choose to settle here permanently, whether through remote working, retirement or other forms of relocation.
Which changes have most profoundly transformed the pool sector over the past decade?
Although there is still a great deal to be done, I would say that the sector is undergoing a significant process of professionalisation.
Contributions from organisations such as ASOFAP, the sector’s employers’ association, and from Piscina Barcelona, the international pool trade fair held every two years in Barcelona, have helped to energise the sector and encourage manufacturers and installers to become increasingly demanding of themselves and the quality of their work.
We are already seeing changes that are turning swimming pools into genuine climate refuges and making them increasingly sustainable.
Fuente: Action Waterscapes
Sustainability, talent and the future
How are issues such as sustainability, energy efficiency and responsible water management shaping the future of the industry?
Our experience in the Valencian Community has an international dimension. In this respect, we are seeing growing concern about providing more sustainable, accessible and safe solutions.
That is why we always try to stay up to date with the latest energy-efficient solutions and equipment, and we design projects that minimise both water and energy consumption.
Although I have to admit that, in many cases, it is not even the client who asks for this. Rather, through our proposals, we ourselves help to create this demand among our clients.
In your view, what are the main challenges and opportunities the sector will face in the coming years?
We are facing a shortage of highly qualified professionals. This means that we sometimes have to hire people for specific projects at a national level and, when we identify potential, bring them onto our permanent team and train them in-house.
Attracting and retaining talent is one of the main challenges we face today, and it will become even more important in the future.
Developing increasingly sustainable projects — socially, economically and environmentally — will be a major challenge in the years immediately ahead and, therefore, a great opportunity for those of us who take an integrated approach to aquatic leisure facilities.
“Attracting and retaining talent is one of the main challenges we face today, and it will become even more important in the future.”
SUSTAINABILITY AS A PROPOSAL, NOT JUST A DEMAND: Action Waterscapes explains that it seeks to minimise water and energy consumption and that, in many projects, the company itself introduces these needs through its proposals.
A Mediterranean industry connected to the world
What does the Valencian Community bring to the Spanish pool industry as a whole today?
I think we bring an integrated vision, international experience and an entrepreneurial spirit.
We are a welcoming region. From the Valencian Community, I would say that we feel particularly connected to the peoples of the Mediterranean, perhaps even more so than to other countries in Central Europe.
This gives us a particular insight into and understanding of the habits and cultures of the wider Mediterranean basin. As a result, we can help those countries see Spain as a “lighthouse” — a reference point for the future of the pool and aquatic leisure industry in this part of the world.
Piscina Barcelona has established itself as one of the sector’s leading international events. What role do you think it plays for companies and professionals in the industry, and what opportunities could it create for the sector’s future?
It is undoubtedly a benchmark event for the sector across Europe, and I would say across the entire Mediterranean basin as well.
Today, taking part in this biennial event has become almost essential if you want to play an active role in our sector.
Although trade fairs may no longer be events focused purely on sales, their role as professional meeting points remains important. They are places where new developments are unveiled, experiences are shared and initiatives that help shape the sector’s future strategies are supported.
That, in my view, is the role that an event like Piscina Barcelona should play.
“Piscina Barcelona is a benchmark event across Europe and throughout the Mediterranean basin.”