The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Autonomous Communities and local entities have agreed today to dedicate 58.8 million euros in 25 tourist destinations with the double objective of modernizing the offer in pioneering destinations and activating it in regions of inland Spain. The decision was made at the Tourism Sector Conference, which was chaired by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, accompanied by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés, and the regional councilors of the branch.
The Minister of Industry has expressed her satisfaction with the success of this call and thanked the 154 tourist destinations for their participation. "The plans are an example of how we are able to be more effective from cooperation between administrations and how tourism must be an example of unity", Maroto pointed out, in addition, he added that "these plans and their investment will be decisive in the consolidation of a sustainable and responsible tourism model ”.
The investment will be channeled through the signing of agreements signed between the Government, the Autonomous Community and the beneficiary local entities, in such a way that the three parties will participate in the financing of the projects over three years. The contribution of the Secretary of State for Tourism amounts to 22.37 million euros that will be disbursed in the first year, charged to the current General State Budgets. The rest of the planned amount up to 58.8 million euros will be assumed by the Autonomous Communities and local entities.
The call for these Tourism Sustainability Plans has aroused enormous interest, as reflected in the high number of proposals received (a total of 154). The 25 selected projects have passed evaluations by the autonomous community and the Secretary of State for Tourism and will receive an investment that varies in each case between one million and 3.5 million euros.
Location of projects
The 25 selected projects are located in the Autonomous Communities of Aragon, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Galicia, the Community of Madrid, Murcia and La Rioja. Of these, 18 belong to rural or inland destinations, where the investment that will be made will be aimed at boosting and organizing its tourist offer, enhancing its cultural and natural heritage. The development of tourism will help to face the demographic challenge in these inland destinations, which aspire to receive a greater influx of visitors with spending capacity, without this activity being harmful to the environment.
The other 7 approved plans affect pioneer, mature destinations, with an urban and environmental overload generated by the large influx of tourists received in recent decades and who need to renew their offer so as not to lose competitiveness, on the one hand, but also to improve the perception that residents have of the urban development of their locality. The investment in these cases will focus on the conversion of its tourism model towards a smart and sustainable tourism model.
