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AURIELO Vazquez, the new President of the Association of Hotel Chains has asked the new Balearic Government “not to slow down new large tourist infrastructures, like the Palacio de Congresos and the remodelling of the Playa de Palma, in which we must have a say”.

Speaking at a press conference after being elected President he said, “my objective as President is to speak for the companies in the Association who, although they only represent 20 percent of the hotel companies in the Balearics, control 80 percent of the beds”.

He said that the Association had already asked for meetings with the new leader of the Balearic Government, Francesc Antich, Minister Buils and the Council of Majorca councillor, Isabel Oliver. Vazquez also referred to “the negotiation of a revision to the General Tourism Law to allow changes of hotel use to residential use and the development of a Competitivity Plan”.

The new President of the Association said that, “we are awaiting the decisions of the new Government, but we do not want to hurry them. The Government has only just settled in and it is logical that now it is in a phase of reflection about its strategy, but we hoteliers have daily pressures and too long a waiting time for the tourist infrastructures would not be good. In addition to this, it would give us an advantage over our competitors”.

With regard to forecasts for the season, Vazquez said that “Minorca is below expectations; the final figures for Majorca are uncertain, we have to see how September and October go; and on Ibiza there are no cancellations due to the sinking of the ship carrying oil, which is great news”.

Vazquez, who is director general of Iberostar España, replaces Francesc Miralles as President of the Association of Hotel Chains. Miralles resigned for professional reasons.