The Govern, through the Conselleria de Turisme, has announced this morning a project by which it intends to acquire obsolete tourist buildings, such as pensions or low category hotels, to convert them into public housing. To carry out this ambitious project the Executive will invest 16 million euros from European funds. The objective is to modernize and improve the quality of the entire tourist structure of the Balearic Islands. These buildings are located in the Balearic Islandsonas de la Platja de Palma, Magaluf and Sant Antoni de Eivissa, although some spaces located in the municipality of Cala d’Or can also be added.

This project was announced yesterday by the president of the Govern, who held a meeting with tourism representatives, to whom she detailed the characteristics of this modernization plan. Hoteliers and other tourism entrepreneurs showed their support for the presidentthey have been calling for years for the president’seal investments to modernize certain areas that have become outdated and that cannot benefit from the tourism law. Also present at this meeting were the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosana Morillo, whose presence was appreciated by both the Govern and the business representation.

This project should be developed in a short period of time, since the Govern only has until the end of next year to invest the European funds. The sale will always be voluntary and in no case the expropriation method will be used. That is to say, each owner who is interested in selling his tourist establishment that has become obsolete must communicate his desire to the Govern. The Executive commits itself to buy the property, although at an appraised price. Afterwards, already with other economic funds, a plan would be developed to take advantage of these built spaces to convert them into public housing. If it was not possible to build these apartments, these areas would become public spaces.

Initially, the Govern had at its disposal only ten million euros to develop the project. Finally, six million euros more have been obtained to finance this purchase.

Armengol explained that the tourism policy of her Govern is based on quality and not quantity. Therefore, she advocated the need to continue working with the business sector, because the transformation of the tourist plant requires the contribution of public funds. The president explained that this action will be carried out in areas of excess and degraded zonesthe project will convert them into much more modern and higher quality spaces.

José Antonio Alarcón, the acting president of the hotel association of Platja de Palma, one of the places where this project will be developed, showed his full support to the public purchase of these buildings tourist buildings that have become obsolete. He recalled the effort being made by hoteliers to increase the quality of their buildings, but that these private investments must always be accompanied by public funds, to be more competitive in the tourism market. The businessman advocated the elimination of old buildings that give a bad image to the tourist sector of Palma, which has clearly bet on offering a higher quality offer, which means modernizing the hotels, to its customers.

The Tourism Counciloriago Neguerueladid not wish to make an assessment quantitative assessment of the number of old seats to be eliminated with the purchase of these buildings by the Govern. He explained that in view of the time pressure imposed by Europe, this project has been simplified from the administrative point of view.

Negueruela explained that this is the first time that a Govern decides to invest public funds in the purchase of hotels to convert them into public housing. In the next few days the Conselleria will launch the offer, which is mainly dedicated to the owners who have practically abandoned the maintenance of these tourist buildings and who are now presented with the possibility of being able to sell them to the Govern.

The Secretary of State for Tourism showed her absolute support to this project of the Govern.