Armengol demands payment of investments for tourism from Madrid

The President of the Balearics, Francina Armengol, with the Bulletin WTM special yesterday.

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterLondon03/11/2015 00:00

President Armengol said yesterday that the World Travel Market had shown that prospects for tourism to the Balearics next season are “very good,” while adding that they are also good for this winter. She also praised the efforts of tourism minister Biel Barceló and his team because “we have observed at the fair that there will be an increase in flights and, therefore, tourists.” She stressed that the government was making it clear that it was working towards lengthening the season “in order to also be able to fill the spring, autumn and winter seasons.”

Armengol then went on to talk about the payment of outstanding investments by the national government, many of them linked to a tourism of greater quality, and added that she would be demanding that national tourism minister, José Manuel Soria, unlocks investments. “It is unacceptable that over four years investments have not been made in accordance with our own legal system.”

In this regard, Barceló insisted that the national government meets with representatives of the regional government and re-negotiates terms in order to avoid the loss of investments such as those which had been destined to improve Playa de Palma. He added that it was essential that there be an extension to the period for claiming investments, which the previous regional government had shown itself incapable of being able to carry out.

“We are working,” said Barceló, “so that those investments which run out on 31 December can be carried out, as well as those which run out next year. Of those which have recently expired, such as for Playa de Palma, we wish to re-negotiate them. We don’t want to lose them”.