The city of Marbella will receive 5 million euros from European funds ‘Next Generation’ to develop tourism sustainability projects, and that have to do with improving the energy efficiency of the Palacio de Congresos and the creation of a river path to connect the sea with the mountains, as announced on Tuesday by the secretary of State of Tourism, Fernando Valdés.
This was stated by the state representative during a visit to the Palacio de Congresos, where he was accompanied by the mayor, Ángeles Muñoz, and the sub-delegate of the Government in Malaga, Javier Salas.
Valdés has celebrated that the European funds “are already a reality”, stressing that they represent “a country commitment that calls us all in a collaborative way to bet on the transformation of our tourism model and maintaining our leadership.”
“With the sustainability as a flag of a sector that is committed to that leadership of the future, Marbella has made a commitment that fits perfectly with that hallmark that the Government of Spain has wanted to claim with European funds, the Secretary of State has highlighted regarding the initiative.
In this way, he highlighted that the Costa del Sol city “it is a beach, but it is a mountain range”which “has to offer national and international tourists not only what they already know, but what they have to discover.”
On the other hand, he pointed out that Marbella “has to bet on seasonal adjustment”, emphasizing that this project focused on “that recovery of the Sierra Blanca path and linking it with the river, in addition to making a commitment to congress tourism” will allow “tourists to come to Marbella during the 12 months of the year”.
Valdés has highlighted that the injection of 5 million euros represents “an investment that has to be commit to this sustainable and intelligent model of the destination, which accompanies the whole of the territory”, while highlighting “the importance of Marbella for the entire province”.
For her part, the mayor has specified that the project that the city has presented to these funds “is closely linked to what that sustainability is and to that tourism that allows us to equip ourselves with greater resources and temporality, giving those who visit us more guarantees”.
Specifically, it has detailed that the initiative contemplates the transformation of the Congress Palace through energy efficiency, with the aim of making it “a building in terms of zero consumption and that can be self-sufficient in the field of energy”.
On the other hand, the idea isconnect” this building with the promenade through a river path that “will allow us to provide a green space for 2.5 kilometers that begins at the mouth of the Arroyo Guadalpín”, in addition to the “treatment” of a municipally owned plot, attached to the Don Pepe Gran Meliá hotel where will install a gazebo.
Muñoz has specified that “the project is already written and ready to make the tender that allows, when we finish in 2023, to add free and sustainable spaces touristically speaking”.
The General Director of Environment of the City Council, Victoria Martín Lomeña, has indicated that this ‘destination tourism sustainability plan’ contemplates “the union between the sea and the mountains through the Guadalpín Stream” through the incorporation of “a network of trails and a viewpoint” in the plot on the coast. The value would be “700,000 euros”.
The second action foresees the improvement of “energy efficiency and sustainability” of the Palacio de Congresos with the installation of “solar panels to guarantee that the supply itself is through renewable energy”, as well as “a tourist and nature information point” will be installed nearby. The cost is “2.7 million”.
A third point involves creation of a “botanical garden” in the plot of El Pinillo, located to the north of the city and owned by the municipality, where an “enclosure, improvement of the parking lot and pavement” is planned, in addition to “a network of footpaths”. The value of the action reaches “800,000 euros”, he specified.
In addition, he pointed out that parallel to this sustainability plan, the City Council “works on the connection with the Los Monjes trail” from the plot of El Pinillo, an action that has ensured that “it is not included in the 5 million”.