1Billion Euros for Spain Sustainable Tourism
Saturday, 26 Jul, 2009
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Minister for Tax and the Economy Elena Salgado, President of the Balearics Government, Francesc Antich, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and Deputy Prime Minister, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, in Palma de Mallorca Friday
At Friday’s Majorca meeting, the Spanish government approved a One billion Euro (UK£900m US$1.2bn) aid plan to boost the country’s sustainable tourism.
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said the measure included a euro500 million credit package to help companies renovate and modernize installations along environmentally sustainable lines.
"We see it as an important sector for the present but also a major sector for Spain’s future," said Zapatero, adding that it was a priority for the government. Zapatero said tourism represented 11 percent of Spain’s GDP and employed some 2 million people.
The prime minister was speaking Friday following a special Cabinet meeting focusing on tourism, which was held on the Balearic island of Mallorca.
Under the plan, euro170 million ($242 million) will be assigned to refurbishing existing hotels and building new ones for the state-run Parador hotel chain. Many are housed in historic buildings, like Moorish castles or former palaces.
Under the project, the government said it intended to study ways to promote rural tourism inland as opposed to the traditional sun and beach sector.
Some euro9 million is to be invested in a publicity campaign titled ‘A Taste of Spain’ to promote the country’s rich and varied gastronomy and wine sector.
"We are deeply interested in tourism modernization, its adaptation toward sustainable tourism, open to all and which includes not just the traditional tourism of coast and beach but one which will put special emphasis on rural, cultural and entertainment tourism," said Zapatero.
Zapatero said that since taking office in 2004, his government had increased annual investment in tourism from an average of euro120 million to euro778 in 2009.
Xavier Font, of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism, commented “This is most needed and long overdue. In itself it is a drop in the ocean and Spanish companies need to learn to modernise regularly as part of their business model, and not wait for state subsidies. No doubt the devil will be in the detail”
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