The Governing Council has ratified this Friday the proposal of the Sustainable Tourism Tax Commission to allocate 376.9 million euros from the 2024 and 2025 annuities to the development of 79 projects, 65% of which, more than 247 million of euros in environmental and water cycle projects.
The spokesperson for the Executive, Antoni Costa, and the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Jaume Bauzà, explained it at the press conference after the meeting of the Governing Council.
Broadly speaking, The ministries will execute 28 projects with a total amount of 235 millionwhile the island councils will receive 360 million euros. Specifically, Mallorca will receive an investment of more than 229 million euros (63.35% of the total). Ibiza follows with more than 67.5 million in investment (18.66%). For its part, Menorca will receive 53.7 million euros (14.85%) and Formentera will develop projects for more than 11.3 million euros (3.14%).
By department, the Department of the Sea and the Water Cycle will manage seven projects worth more than 141.7 million euros. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment will carry out 9 projects with a total budget of 37.6 million and the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sports will manage 36.7 million euros distributed among 5 projects.
The Department of Business, Occupation and Energy will receive 10.5 million for the development of four projects. Likewise, a project of the Ministry of Housing, Territory and Mobility worth 6 million euros, another from the Department of Education and University with an aid of 1.4 million euros, and one from the Department of Economy, Finance and Innovation with a budget of just over one million euros.
Based on the typology of the projects, in addition to the 274 million that will be allocated to 34 environmental and water cycle projects, they will allocate 47.8 million euros to 21 deseasonalization projects, improvements in tourist areas, culture and sports; 29.8 million to 12 historical and cultural heritage projects, as well as 25.3 million euros to seven projects to combat illegal tourism.
By department, the 13 million euros that the Department of Agriculture will allocate through Fogaiba to aid farms or the 15 million to the Department of Tourism for the acquisition of properties in tourist areas stand out.
The Department of Economy, The Treasury and Innovation will allocate just over one million euros of this resource to conduct an opinion survey and promote public policies. Also through six million euros from the ITS, Ibavi will create the research center for traditional architecture. The Department of Business, for its part, will allocate three million euros to a pilot test to improve the energy efficiency of the Palma Maritime Pass.
After environmental and water cycle investments, projects related to deseasonalization, responsible tourism, and historical and cultural heritage stand out. Minister Bauzá, for his part, has also highlighted the significant amounts that will be allocated to combat illegal tourist rentals, issue in the hands of the island councils.
Asked about the announced increase in the rate, the Government spokesperson acknowledged that the Executive has not yet calculated how much it would have to increase, nor has it done any study on the matter.
Environment and water cycle
The protection, preservation, modernization and recovery of the natural, rural, agricultural and marine environment, and the water cycle stand out in this call with a total of 34 approved projects totaling 247.2 million euros, which represents 65.58% of the total.
These projects will focus on improving sustainability as well as managing the supply of water for human consumption and improving the energy efficiency of supply and sanitation infrastructure.
Smart network management projects will also be developed, including improvement in waste management and irrigation actions with purified water, so that the global impacts associated with the entire life cycle of the products can be reduced.
Given the great demand for water management projects presented by municipalities, it has been established that these They will be managed by the Department of the Sea and the Water Cycle.
At this point, Costa has highlighted that in the water cycle, adding the resources of the ITS and those of the Conselleria itself, around 300 million euros will be invested.
Deseasonalization
Another of the main objectives of the ITS is to promote deseasonalization and increase control of illegal supply.
In this sense, they have been approved 23 projects for an amount greater than 67 million euros.
To move towards deseasonalization, tourism products will be created and activated practicable in low season, with special emphasis on projects linked to culture and sports.
Likewise, projects aimed at promoting tourism quality have been evaluated, from the perspective of supply and the destination as a whole, in order to provide the necessary resources to the island councils to the fight against illegal supply and, from the perspective of destination quality, the promotion of quality plans and systems for destination specialization.
Historical and cultural heritage
Culture, history and heritage are also fundamental axes within the strategy for transforming the tourism model towards one of higher quality and more respectful of the environment.
For this reason, a dozen projects for the recovery, conservation or dissemination of the historical and cultural heritage of the archipelago have been approved with a budget that amounts to 29.8 million euros.
Responsible tourism
With the modification of the Decree Responsible Tourism Law set the reserve of up to 16 million euros per year so that the municipalities affected by this rule could develop projects to improve inspection, security and awareness.
To this end, a total of 7 projects for an amount greater than 25 million euros.
Research and development
The councilors have explained that this ITS call will also serve to give a boost to scientific research projects, technological development and innovation (R+D+I), which contribute to economic diversification and the fight against climate change, or that are related to the tourism field, in order to promote smart growth and the incorporation of new technologies. Specifically, two projects will be developed with an amount greater than 6 million euros.
A project related to the Plan for professional excellence in the tourism sector of the Islands has also been approved, which will receive aid of 1.4 million euros.
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