The Government agrees with the Autonomous Communities to invest 615 million euros in more than a hundred tourist destinations

The Government has today agreed with the unanimity of the Autonomous Communities the specific tourist projects and destinations in which 615 million euros will be invested from the Next Generation EU recovery funds dedicated to the program of Sustainable Tourism Plans in Destinations. The beneficiaries amount to 169 projects in the different Autonomous Communities.

“The program of Tourism Sustainability Plans in Destinations that we recover in 2020 has proven to be the best example of collaboration between the three levels of the Administration in a State policy such as tourism policy should be. The investment that we approved today, and that we will reissue in 2022 and 2023, will make our destinations more competitive, moving towards a model that is more respectful with the environment, digital, accessible to all and whose benefits affect both the sector and the resident population. ”, Has valued the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto.

For the Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdes, which has also participated in the meeting of the Sector Conference: "The wealth of destinations that Spain has represents a true competitive advantage compared to other recipient markets that must be strengthened if we want to continue to be leaders in tourism."

Unlike the ordinary program of Tourism Sustainability Plans in Destinations -which has been running for two editions-, this first extraordinary call is not financed with the budget of the three administrations involved (Secretary of State for Tourism, CCAA and beneficiary local entities) Rather, it is fully covered by European recovery funds.

The presentation and selection of applications, as well as the distribution of funds between Autonomous Communities, has followed the procedure established in the Strategy for Sustainable Tourism in Destinations, approved unanimously at a Sectorial Conference last July.

Of the 169 projects selected (out of a total of 506 applications submitted), 153 will be managed by the requesting local entities, while another 16 correspond to territorial cohesion actions that will be carried out by the Autonomous Communities, but which will also impact the destinations.

Interpretation Center in the new Plaza de España in Madrid

Among the plans that will have a greater endowment is the city of Madrid, with 10 million euros with which a comprehensive digital transformation program will be implemented, an electric station will be installed in the Plaza de Canalejas and the Plaza de Interpretation Center will be created. Spain, among other actions.

The Consell de Mallorca, with a project of 13 million euros focused on improving the sustainability of the destination; the Cabildo de Fuerteventura, with an investment of more than nine million euros that includes the rehabilitation of trails and viewpoints, or the city of Valencia, with 7.5 million to, among other actions, develop a program to reduce plastics in the tourism sector, are among the local initiatives that will receive a greater investment.

The selected plans (detailed in the attached press kit) cover all types of destinations, both sun and beach, urban and rural. Only in the projects that will be managed by local entities are 84 rural destinations in which it is intended that the development of tourist activity stimulate the local economy, exerting its driving force on other sectors such as agri-food, and thus helping to generate employment and fix the population. .

General objectives

The program of Tourism Sustainability Plans in Destination seeks as general objectives to support Spanish tourist destinations, whatever their scale and the type of demand to which they respond, in their transformation process towards hubs or tourism innovation poles capable of integrating into its offer environmental, socioeconomic and territorial sustainability, and to develop resilience strategies in the face of new challenges in the tourism ecosystem, from climate change, to tourist over-demand or health and security crises.

The second general objective is to achieve, through the different intervention instruments, greater territorial cohesion, not only relating the offer and the destinations of each territory, but also creating connections between the destinations of different regions.

Among the expected results of this program is to improve tourist destinations by investing in improving their competitiveness so that they can exert a driving effect on tourist demand and a boosting effect on the private tourism sector; effectively incorporate sustainability and digitization in the management of tourism resources, infrastructures and products at destinations; diversify the supply of tourist destinations to help generate employment and activity opportunities, redistribute tourist income and favor territorial cohesion and the deconcentration of demand, particularly in rural areas, as well as promoting seasonal adjustment and improving the natural capital of the tourism system, guaranteeing its perenniality by reducing emissions, improving waste and water management, protecting, restoring and making use of ecosystems for tourism, renaturing them and introducing actions to prevent or mitigate them. effects of climate change.



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The Government approves 46 million euros to reinforce the tourist competitiveness of the extra-peninsular territories


The Council of Ministers approved today, at the proposal of the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, to invest 46 million euros from Next Generation EU funds in improving the tourist competitiveness of extra-peninsular territories (Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla).

The Royal Decree for the direct granting of subsidies approved today by the Council of Ministers authorizes the Government to transfer 20 million euros to each of the island's autonomous communities, and another 3 million euros to each of the autonomous cities.

“Due to their peripheral nature, our archipelagos and autonomous cities have had a greater impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been especially negative in the tourism sector of the islands. The Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan contemplates deploying specific resilience strategies for these territories with the aim of improving their competitiveness and making their economies more resistant, plans that will continue in 2022 and 2023 ”, explained the Minister of Industry , Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto.

Performances on the islands

In the case of the Balearic and Canary Islands, the planned actions seek to adapt their economies, with a great weight of tourism, to shocks in demand, as in the case of pandemics, impacts on tour operators or others. Its resilience strategies will include, among other actions, the requalification of obsolete tourist infrastructures; investment in public infrastructures, with special emphasis on improving the attractiveness of public spaces, environmental management of beaches and their enhancement with facilities, the provision of approved trails and waste treatment; the reinforcement of public services in areas of special tourist influx: administrative, security and health services; specific youth training in the field of tourism; development of the alternative tourism product to the sun and beach, such as cultural or nature tourism; seasonally adjusted strategic promotion, with special emphasis on online marketing strategies, language accessibility, proactive capacity in multimedia tools, SEO, institutional CRM, etc.

In the case of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands, incentives are provided for the opening of the offer outside the high season to combat the high seasonality of its tourist activity. While for the Canary Islands, incentives are contemplated aimed at transport companies to facilitate connectivity with the peninsula.

Ceuta and melilla

Unlike the archipelagos, improving the competitiveness and adaptability of the economy of the autonomous cities involves mobilizing tourism as an engine of regional economic development. Thus, their resilience strategies will include investments in public spaces to promote their tourist use; lines of aid to tourist companies (especially accommodation and restaurant services) for the modernization and rejuvenation of the tourist plant; training in tourism competencies, especially among young people and national promotion (destinations in the south of the peninsula) and international (Europe and northern Morocco) of the two cities as tourist destinations of historical-cultural interest.

The execution period of the actions that may be financed with this investment of 46 million euros runs until December 31, 2024.



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Spain reaches 30.2 million international air passengers until November


Until November, Spain has received 30.2 million passengers from international airports, which represents an increase of 52.7% compared to the same period in 2020. In the month of November it received almost 4 million passengers, recovering 70 % of 2019 volume, according to data released today by Turespaña.

For the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, these data "show that international tourists are choosing Spain to travel mainly because of the confidence generated by the high percentage of the vaccinated population, more than 37.7 million already have the complete schedule, 89.7% of the target population."

For the Minister of Tourism, the increase in arrivals from the main emitting countries shows that "Spain has proven to be a safe destination, so it is necessary to continue advancing in vaccination, especially that of children that has just started and in prevention for avoid contagion ”, said Maroto.

Of the total number of international passengers who traveled to Spain in November, the majority (53%) traveled with a low-cost company, while the remaining 47% opted for traditional airlines.

In November all the main emitting countries grew

The increase in international passengers has been registered in all the main issuing countries, with the United Kingdom (17.9%) as the first market registering an advance of 659.7% year-on-year, arrivals that have been mainly directed to the Canary Islands and the Valencian Community.

Passenger arrivals from German airports (15.2%) remain in second position with an increase of 470.6% compared to the same month in 2020.

Italy remains as the third issuing country of international passengers, from where 10.1% of the total arrived, registering an interannual increase of 1,080% and whose priority destination was Madrid, Catalonia and the Canary Islands.

The United States reappears among the main issuing markets of traditional companies with 3.3% of passengers (1,463%), being the only non-European country.

Main Autonomous Communities of destination

Madrid was the main autonomous community of destination in the month of November (26.6%), followed by the Canary Islands and Catalonia. Madrid was also the community with the highest share of arrivals in traditional companies (43.1%) and Andalusia the one that registered the largest increase compared to November 2020 (+ 734.0%).

By airports, Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas was the one that received the highest volume of international passengers (26.6% of the total), followed by Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat (18.8%), Tenerife South (10%), Malaga (9%) and Gran Canaria (7.3%).



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The ‘La Palma is reborn’ plan allocates 27.3 million euros for the economic and social recovery of the island


The Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, and the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Angel Víctor Torres, have held a meeting at the Parador de Turismo de La Palma with representatives of the island's business sectors to whom they have presented a new package of measures called 'La Palma Renace' endowed with 27.3 million euros to support the self-employed and SMEs, especially those affected by the volcano, and contribute to the tourist promotion of the beautiful island.

“Since the beginning of this volcanic emergency, the objective of all the Administrations, in an example of coordination and collaboration, has been to attend to the needs, support and accompany the families affected by the eruption in Cumbre Vieja. Today we look to a future of opportunities that the ‘beautiful island’ has, and continuing with our commitment to palm trees and palm trees, I have presented to the business sectors the new aid package that aims to contribute to a rapid recovery of economic activity. Focusing on two of the island's sources of wealth: tourism and small and medium-sized companies, ”said Minister Reyes Maroto after the meeting.

The objective of this special plan, which is developed jointly with the Canarian Executive, is to launch a series of actions both of immediate impact and focused on the medium and long term to contribute to a rapid economic and social recovery of La Palma after the crisis caused by the volcano, supporting the self-employed and companies, especially SMEs, and stimulating the tourist promotion of the 'pretty island'.

Tourist vouchers

The "La Palma Renace" plan contemplates an investment of 12.38 million euros for the recovery and promotion of tourism on the island once the volcano eruption ends. Specifically, a line of tourist vouchers of 300 euros will be launched, articulated through virtual debit cards to stimulate trips to the island of La Palma throughout 2022.

Incentives to airlines

Support for tourism on the island will be completed with the launch of a line of special incentives to improve La Palma's national and international air connectivity during 2022. Thus, an item of 2.65 million euros is allocated to subsidize the seats that the airlines schedule to fly to the 'pretty island'. In the same way, AENA will reimburse the companies 100% of the amount of the infrastructure use fee on all flights originating from La Palma Airport and mainland and international destinations, throughout 2022, with an investment of 930,000 euros, This will reduce the operating costs of the airlines and will make it easier for others to decide to fly to La Palma.

New investments in the Parador de La Palma

The Paradores de Turismo will start a project to improve the infrastructures of the establishment on the island with an investment of 2,000,000 euros. With this investment, in addition to improving the situation of the facilities, it is intended to contribute directly and indirectly to the development of the local economy in the most disadvantaged sectors.

Support for the self-employed and SMEs

In the section on supporting the revitalization of SMEs and the self-employed, an item of 10 million euros is allocated to subsidize direct aid for the creation of new companies, the expansion of an existing establishment or of the productive capacity and the diversification of the production of an establishment in new additional products during the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. Direct aid may also be aimed at allowing the restart of business activity in the case of those businesses that have been directly or indirectly affected by the volcano.

Additionally, the aid package approved last Friday by the Council of Ministers included a budget of up to 3 million euros to subsidize the expenses of preparation and the celebration of the international festival of science, art and music Starmus Festival-La Palma: Lluvia de stars in its 2022 edition.

On the other hand, the Spanish Re-guarantee Company (CERSA), dependent on the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, will approve the application of a coverage of 80% of the credit in operations granted by the Reciprocal Guarantee Societies (SGR) aimed at obtaining of financing for investments and liquidity needs of the island's SMEs.

CERSA will also implement a reduction in costs associated with obtaining financing to meet expenses, investments and capital needs. The total amount will be 2,000,000 euros.



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The Government approves a new package of 17.6 million euros in support of La Palma that includes a tourist bonus of 300 euros


The Council of Ministers approved today, at the proposal of the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, a package of direct aid amounting to 17,625,000 euros to support the self-employed and SMEs affected by the volcano and to boost the tourism sector. The initiative includes a 300-euro tourist voucher program to stimulate trips to the island of La Palma throughout 2022.

“The priority of the Government once normality is reached on La Palma is to contribute to a rapid economic and social recovery of the island after the disaster caused by the volcano. With this new aid package, we intend to stimulate tourist visits to La Palma, while supporting the self-employed and small and medium-sized companies, especially those affected by the volcano, favoring the creation of new businesses and the growth or recovery of already existing. From the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism we work to guarantee the future of our beautiful island, which is a major challenge. We want La Palma to be an island of opportunities ”, has valued Minister Reyes Maroto.

Special plan for tourist recovery

The aid package approved today includes a subsidy to the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands of 4,625,000 euros that will be used to promote tourism on the island once the eruption of the volcano ends. Specifically, a 300-euro tourist voucher program will be launched through virtual debit cards for exclusive consumption on the island of La Palma throughout 2022. With this measure, which has a contribution of 3.3 M € from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism and an equivalent amount from the Government of the Canary Islands, it is intended to encourage tourist trips to the island when normal conditions are met and to support the tourism sector, which is one of the activities that provides the most wealth and employment contributes on La Palma.

Support for tourism on the island will be completed with the launch of a line of special incentives for the improvement of national and international air connectivity on La Palma during 2022. Thus, an item of 1,325,000 euros is allocated to subsidize the seats scheduled by airlines to fly to the 'pretty island'. The Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands may co-finance this line of aid.

Support for the revitalization of the self-employed and SMEs

In support of the self-employed and SMEs, an item of 10 million euros is allocated to subsidize direct aid for the creation of new companies, the expansion of an existing establishment or of the productive capacity and the diversification of the production of an establishment in new additional products during the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. Direct aid may also be aimed at allowing the restart of business activity in the case of those businesses that have been directly or indirectly affected by the volcano.

The aid package approved today by the Council of Ministers also includes an investment of up to 3 million euros to subsidize the expenses of preparation and the celebration of the international festival of science, art and music Starmus Festival in its edition of 2022.



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Employment in tourism grew in November by 235,123 affiliates


Social Security affiliates in the tourism sector grew in November by 235,123 affiliates compared to a year ago, 11.3% in the interannual rate, reaching 2,307,211 employees. This is the fifth consecutive month that has registered this year-on-year growth, according to data published today by Turespaña. With the data for November, employment in tourism represents 11.7% of the total affiliates in the national economy.

The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, has celebrated the “good data that confirm that the trend of growth and dynamism in tourism employment that began in June is consolidating. Month after month we see how tourist activities are recovering due to the greater confidence that tourists have to travel thanks to the success of the vaccination process and because of the effective protection network deployed by the Government that has allowed us to already be at levels close to those that was in 2019. The recovery is also taking place in workers affected by ERTEs, although the incentives to provide security and certainty to workers and self-employed who still need this protection are maintained. Christmas is the time of many national and international trips and Spain has proven to be a safe destination, so it is necessary to continue advancing in vaccination, especially that of children who have just started and in prevention to avoid contagion and enjoy some Christmas for sure ”.

Branches of activity

This year-on-year growth has been registered in almost all tourism branches. In the hospitality industry, there was an increase of 177,165 affiliates (139,293 in food and beverage services and 37,872 in accommodation services); other tourist activities increased by 59,119 affiliates, while in travel agencies there was a decrease of 1,161 workers.

In November, the number of wage earners in the tourism sector, which represents 78.9% of the total number of affiliated workers in this sector, increased by 14.3% year-on-year and the self-employed by 1.6%.

By Autonomous Communities

In November, tourism employment increased in all communities. In absolute figures, the largest increases occurred in Andalusia, Catalonia, the Community of Madrid, the Valencian Community and the Canary Islands. In relative terms, the interannual increases in Murcia (21.9%) and Andalusia (20.4%) stand out.



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The Government promotes the Destinations of the Caminos de Santiago with 45 million euros


The Council of Ministers today resolved the distribution of a maximum of 45 million euros to promote transformative actions that improve sustainability, digitization and competitiveness in destinations belonging to any of the existing Caminos de Santiago in Spain. This investment is included in the Xacobeo 2021-22 National Tourist Plan, which contemplates a total investment of 121 million euros.

Planned actions

The type of actions that the Autonomous Communities and local entities may finance with these 45 million should be aimed at improving sustainable mobility (exits and entrances in cities, itineraries through their most attractive areas, treatment of areas of the Way subject to high traffic, intersection of roads and highways); the signage and accessibility of the Camino segment (always following its style book); the rehabilitation or enhancement of its cultural assets, the beautification of the historic centers, sustainable renovations and all those eligible actions included in section 6 of the Destination Tourism Sustainability Strategy that contribute to improving the path or achieving homogeneity of the urban landscape along the Compostela itinerary.

It thus seeks to achieve a structuring and territorial cohesion through the common thread of all the Caminos de Santiago, not only relating the offer and the destinations of each territory, but also creating connections between the destinations of different regions of the Caminos de Santiago. Other intended objectives are to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of the Xacobeo destinations, increasing the quality and diversification of the tourist experience offered by the Caminos de Santiago, and strengthening the economic and social fabric in the territories through which the Camino runs. , generating jobs linked to the services provided to pilgrims.

Beneficiaries

These actions are part of the Xacobeo 21-22 National Tourist Plan and Galicia is the CCAA that will receive the most resources with 16.5 million euros, followed by Asturias with 7.9 million.

The distribution of these 45 million is distributed as follows:

Cohesion Actions between Destinations (for Autonomous Communities) Maximum total: 22.5 million euros

Galicia 8,390,000 euros

Navarra 5,830,000 euros

Asturias 5,300,000 euros

La Rioja 2,980,000 euros

Tourism Sustainability Plans in Xacobeo Destinations 2021 (for local entities) Maximum total: 22.5 million euros

La Sotonera City Council (Huesca) 1,992,600 euros

Albentosa City Council (Teruel) 1,992,600 euros

Tapia de Casariego City Council (Asturias) 1,642,500 euros

Salas City Council (Asturias) 1,000,000 euros

Palencia Provincial Council 2,000,000 euros

Benavente City Council (Zamora) 3,000,000 euros

Bilbao City Council 2,648,448 euros

Council of Vilagarcía de Arousa (Pontevedra) 2,490,852 euros

Commonwealth of Salnés (Pontevedra) 2,116,000 euros

Council of Oia (Pontevedra) 1,500,000 euros

Pontevedra Provincial Council 2,069,000 euros

Extraordinary Program of Sustainable Tourism Plans in Destination

The extraordinary program of Tourism Sustainability Plans finances, through the Autonomous Communities, interventions in destinations proposed by local entities that are selected based on the quality of the projects presented. However, each year around seven percent of the annual budget is reserved to support a national tourism priority agreed with the Autonomous Communities and local entities. Last July, the Tourism Sector Conference decided that this priority for 2021 should be the Xacobeo, since the celebration of the Compostela Holy Year in 2021 – extended to 2022 due to the pandemic – constitutes an event of exceptional public interest and opens a period of great cultural, social and tourist revitalization of the Camino.

With this decision, regulated by a royal decree for the direct granting of subsidies to Autonomous Communities and local entities, the first annual installment of the extraordinary program of Destination Tourism Sustainability Plans corresponding to 2021 is completed, for which 660 million euros were foreseen in the current General State Budgets. On November 23, the Council of Ministers authorized the territorial distribution of the remaining 615 million.



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The Government allocates 109.8 million euros to the rehabilitation of historical heritage for tourist use


The Council of Ministers today resolved to grant 109.8 million euros in direct subsidies to Autonomous Communities and local entities for the maintenance and rehabilitation of historical heritage for tourist use. This is an investment planned for this year 2021 in component 14 of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan that is financed with the Next Generation EU recovery funds.

With these funds that regulates the royal decree approved today in the Council of Ministers, 37 assets of cultural interest will be acted upon, close to the 50 that were committed to the European Commission between now and the second half of 2026, making notable progress in the first year validity of the recovery plan towards the achievement of the milestone.

Most of the assets of cultural interest to be rehabilitated and improved are found in rural areas or small municipalities. It is thus intended to help diversify the offer by developing claims of interest to tourists in inland and rural areas of our country, taking advantage of the boom in cultural tourism in recent years as the main motivation of travelers visiting Spain and which has experienced growth. of 15.9% between 2016 and 2019.

The rehabilitation works will also guarantee the conservation of assets of cultural interest, allowing them to be enjoyed by present and future generations, while preserving access security in those cases in which the assets are damaged and may pose a risk to people.

Beneficiaries

The 109.8 million euros of grants will finance the rehabilitation of assets of cultural interest belonging to three relevant tourist products on offer in our country: the Camino de Santiago, to which 62,137,670.73 euros are allocated; the Ignatian Way of Manresa, which will receive 2,713,815.73 euros and the 15 World Heritage Cities, which will obtain 45 million euros, for a maximum amount of three million euros for each.

The subsidies destined to rehabilitate historical heritage located in different sections of the Camino de Santiago are part of the Xacobeo 21-22 National Tourist Plan endowed with more than 121 million euros. The distribution between Autonomous Communities is as follows:

3,079,887.56 euros

Castilla-La Mancha 3,200,000 euros

Galicia 22,700,000 euros

Castilla y León 5,850,000 euros

Navarra 4,172,877 euros

Basque Country 5,500,000 euros

Aragon 2,550,000 euros

Asturias 5,884,906.17 euros

Valencian Community 2,700,000 euros

Extremadura 4,000,000 euros

La Rioja 2,500,000 euros

Regarding the Ignatian Way of Manresa, the budget awarded in the royal decree to the Manresa city council will allow it to act in nine environments: the reception center for pilgrims in the Old College of San Ignacio; the viewpoint and the archaeological site of the convent of San Cristòfol in the Torre de Santa Caterina; in the itinerary connecting the Pont Vell with public transport; the itinerary from Pont Vell to the Fountain of Sant Pau; itinerary from the Fountain of Fans to the Cruz del Tort; the surroundings of the Chapel of Sant Marc and La Cova; Pont Nou and Balç street.

In the case of the 15 Heritage Cities, it contemplates an investment of a maximum of 3 million euros for each one that will be allocated to the following actions that are included in the Plan Boosts Heritage recently presented in Baeza (Jaén):

Alcalá de Henares: Rehabilitation and improvement of the Plaza de Cervantes.

Ávila: Rehabilitation and improvement of spaces in different parts of the city.

Baeza: Rehabilitation and improvement of the Market Square.

Cáceres: Restoration and enhancement of the Almohad wall and redevelopment of the western walkway within the walls.

Córdoba: Restoration and energy improvement of the Alcázar Reyes Cristianos and Gardens, Roman temple of Claudio Marcelo and Church of the Old Convent of Santa Clara.

Cuenca: Restoration and enhancement of the wall.

Ibiza: Improvement of the accessibility and energy of the streets of Santa María and Tur de Montis, Paseo Vara del Rey and Plaza de Sa Carrossa.

La Laguna: Restoration and rehabilitation of the former convent of Santo Domingo.

Mérida: Creation of the Museum of History and Archeology in the Calatrava Market.

Salamanca: Public adaptation of the Cerro de San Vicente Archaeological Park.

Santiago de Compostela: Energy improvement and conservation of the Pazo de Raxoi.

Segovia: Improvement of access and energy efficiency in the surroundings of the Aqueduct, the Forum of the Roman city, the Romanesque Church of San Nicolás and the Garden of the Poets.

Tarragona: Rehabilitation and accessibility in the environment at the local forum site.

Toledo: Regeneration and viewpoints in the historic gardens of La Vega, Sisebuto and Recaredo.

Úbeda: Accessibility and energy improvement of the Hospital de Santiago Cultural Center.

Eligible actions

The type of actions that may be financed in public property of cultural interest with tourist use or in their surroundings on the Camino de Santiago, the Ignatian Way and the Heritage Cities will be, specifically:

a) Rehabilitation of spaces for tourist use.

b) Improved energy efficiency.

c) Acclimatization and adaptation actions to climate change.

d) Modernization of waste management systems, addressing the prevention and reduction of their generation and the implementation of separate collection systems for the different materials that make it possible to prepare them for reuse or recycling.

e) Rehabilitation and use of spaces with smart technologies (improvement of broadband, installation of Wi-Fi networks, online reservations, virtual visits, or similar)

f) Improved accessibility.

g) Improvement in efficient lighting.

h) Reduction of energy and water consumption.

i) Rehabilitation and restoration of Buildings declared as Asset of Cultural Interest for tourist and cultural use;

j) The reduction and compensation of the carbon footprint by drawing up action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

k) The improvement of energy efficiency through the replacement of diesel or fuel boilers with natural gas boilers;

l) The introduction of improvements in gray water treatment systems.



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Tourism launches a fund of 565 million euros for innovative projects of tourism companies


The Council of Ministers today approved the new regulation of the Fund for the Competitiveness of Tourism Companies (FOCIT), currently endowed with 565 million euros, and which will be aimed at financing, with loans, projects of companies that improve the competitiveness of the sector tourism, especially those that contain digitalization, accessibility, energy efficiency and circular economy actions.

The regulatory development of this Fund is one of the reforms provided for in the National Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, specifically, it is part of the modernization and competitiveness plan of the tourism sector or component 14.

Beneficiaries

Self-employed or self-employed workers registered with the Social Security or mutual benefit of the corresponding Professional Association, as well as private commercial companies that carry out a tourist activity, will be able to take advantage of these loans.

The Autonomous Communities will be in charge of summoning, processing and resolving the requests, as corresponds since they have the competences in the field of tourism. However, and due to the fact that it is a single Fund, the Tourism Sector Conference will agree on the mechanism for the calls and processing of the files to be carried out in a coordinated manner.

At the proposal of the Secretary of State for Tourism, the Tourism Sector Conference will also agree on the evaluation criteria for applications and, valid for two years, the calendar for calls and loan processing.

Under the terms agreed at the Sector Conference, projects that promote the digitization of tourism companies such as the development of mass digitization tools, the adoption of digital solutions that facilitate sales, mobile digital solutions, application of big data, development of electronic commerce, design of digital strategies, home automation and sensorization, data capture and analysis, virtual reality or network security and electronic services, among others.

Projects destined to modernize tourism companies based on the construction or renovation of tourism infrastructures, with preferential attention to actions framed in the field of accessibility, energy efficiency and the circular economy (management of waste, renewable energy, water reuse, emission reduction, carbon footprint and certifications, term insulation, sustainable transport …)

Loan conditions

Loans may be granted against the Fund, the financial conditions of which (interest rate, repayment period, grace period, maximum amount, etc.) will be determined by order of the head of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, prior agreement of the Government Delegate Commission for Economic Affairs. The type of assignment of loans to financial institutions will be the lower of the rate established in the aforementioned order and the assignment interest rate in force at any given time in the ICO line for companies and entrepreneurs, for the corresponding repayment and grace period. in the fixed rate modality.

The loans granted will finance, a maximum, up to 75% of the bankable cost of the projects, without the amount financed being able to exceed the figure of six million euros, or the figure of the net equity accredited of the company in the last approved accounts.

The amount of the loans will be used to cover expenses that are directly related to the development of the financed project such as, for example, personnel expenses, costs of instruments and inventory material or costs of contractual research, technical knowledge and patents acquired or obtained by license from external sources at market prices.



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The Government invests 19.8 million euros in Castilla y León to promote the Destinations of the Caminos de Santiago


The Council of Ministers today approved an investment of 19,850,000 euros for destinations on the Caminos de Santiago de Castilla y León. This investment is part of component 14 of the Tourism Sector Modernization and Competitiveness Plan financed with Next Generation-EU funds included in the 2021 Budgets of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and aimed at modernizing and improving the competitiveness of the tourism sector.

“The Camino de Santiago is one of our most international tourist experiences. In the celebration of the Xacobeo Year, the Government has designed a specific strategy to promote the different routes of the Camino as it passes through Spain. Castilla y León is one of the Autonomous Communities that has benefited the most from this plan, whose investments have been made today by the Council of Ministers ”, Minister Reyes Maroto has valued.

“Thanks to these actions, we will fine-tune and preserve for the future the historical heritage located in the Castilian and Leonese sections of the Camino, which will strengthen the potential of Castilla y León to attract visitors, at a time when cultural tourism is a travel motivation on the rise, with a growth of 15.9% between 2016 and 2019 ”, added the head of the department.

The Government will transfer these 19.8 million euros to the Board and local beneficiary entities, via two Royal Decrees of direct granting of subsidies that the Council of Ministers approved today.

Heritage rehabilitation

Of the global amount, the regional executive will receive 5.8 million euros that must be allocated to the maintenance or rehabilitation of assets of cultural interest of public ownership with tourist use located in the following sections of the Camino de Santiago or in its surroundings:

-Castrojeriz (Burgos): Paving the Camino de Santiago in the urban section of Castrojeriz. 800,000 euros

-Carrión de los Condes (Palencia): Restoration of the Cubo and Oriental Canvas of the Wall. 150,000 euros

-Sahagún (León): Restoration of the El Canto Bridge. 1,000,000 euros

-Astorga (León): Restoration of the first section of the northeast canvas of the wall located between La Brecha and Puerta de Rey. 2,000,000 euros

-Villafranca del Bierzo (León): Paving of Calle del Agua (Ribadeo and Santa Catalina). 1,000,000 euros

-La Granja de Moreruela (Zamora): Intervention in the Bedroom Pavilion for Novices and Monks of the Monastery of Santa María de Moreruela. 900,000 euros

Additionally, the following local entities will receive financing to promote transformative actions that improve the sustainability, digitization and competitiveness of their destinations and that, in at least 25%, will be related to the Camino de Santiago:

-Diputación de Palencia 2,000,000 euros

-Benavente Town Hall (Zamora) 3,000,000 euros

The type of actions that may be financed should be aimed at improving sustainable mobility (exits and entrances in cities, itineraries through their most attractive areas, treatment of areas of the Way subject to high traffic, crossroads and highways); the signage and accessibility of the Camino segment (always following its style book); the rehabilitation or enhancement of its cultural assets, the beautification of the historic centers, and sustainable rehabilitation, among others.

Rehabilitation and maintenance of Heritage Cities

As World Heritage Cities, the municipalities of Ávila, Salamanca and Segovia will obtain 9 million euros (3 million each) to finance sustainable rehabilitation and maintenance projects.

The actions that will be financed with this budget in Salamanca include: the integrated walkway that allows access between the upper park and the La Palma Vaguada with viewpoints; performances on the upper platform at the entrance to the museum from C / Joaquín Zahonero; covering structures for the protection of new archaeological remains; consolidation and treatment of the Medieval Fence, the Portillo de San Vicente, the historic walls and the hydraulic irrigation network of the old convent and the integration of urban gardens and complementary facilities.

In the case of Ávila, the actions will take place around Tostado, Jimena Blázquez and Marcelino Santiago streets; Tomás Luís de Victoria and Travesía Dolores de Palacio; Brieva Street and Crossing; Mosén Rubí Square and Bracamonte Street; Plaza Concepción Arenal and Reyes Católicos. In addition, the installation of urban furniture in the Historic Center is contemplated; installation of ornamental lighting in the Church of San Andrés and installation of LED ornamental lighting in the Auditorium and Plaza de San Francisco and the street lighting around San Francisco.

The actions to be financed with this program in Segovia focus on the surroundings of the Aqueduct: conservation of the Plaza de Avendaño, rehabilitation of the Adarve, accessibility of the Postigo del Consuelo viewpoint; in the forum of the Roman city; in the Romanesque church of San Nicolás; and in the gardens of the Poets and the historic area.



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